Beautifully Savage
by EmStar202
Summary: What if there were girls on the plane? Would it have changed things? Or will everyone turn into savages just as before? Read to find out.
1. The Ladies, and the Lord of the Flies

Author's Note: This is the first chapter of my Lord Of The Flies story where girls landed on the island along with the boys. All the boy characters are the same, except I decided to bump their ages up a bit. So Jack's sixteen, Ralph and Roger are fifteen, Simon and Piggy are fourteen, and the rest are in between six and fourteen. I just needed them to be a little more mature so the romances would make sense. All the girl characters are my own. We read Lord Of The Flies in my English class and I immediatly became a bit obsessed with it. lol I just loved the story. I thought it would be interesting to see how the story would have been different with girls on the island, so that's what this story is all about. I hope you give my story a chance, and enjoy!

Warnings: None for this chapter. It could probably be rated K+ just for some very minor swearing, but it's rated T for later chapters.

Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Flies, if I did, the story would have been very different.

The fair-haired girl blinked up at the clear, blue sky. There were no clouds, so there was no protection from the rays of the harsh sun. The sun's rays hit her exposed flesh like fire. Being so pale, she would burn quickly. The fair-haired girl pushed herself off the ground and stood. Pale, brown eyes scanned the surroundings. She was closed in by dense jungle.

Greenery surrounded her on all sides, and suddenly she remembered what had happened, and fear slithered up her spine. The turbulence, the screams, the darkness. She shivered. She did not want to remember the crash.

Instead, the fair-haired girl brought her attention back to the jungle around her. The sight was overwhelming. Creepers extended down from trees and tickled her, leaves crackled under her feet, and there seemed to be no single path to get out. She'd have to make one.

The girl wondered where the others were. There had been at least fifty or so of them. Slowly she made her trek through the jungle. She found she became hot after only walking a couple yards, and stripped herself of her school sweater. She tied it around her waist and trudged on. As she clambered over a rather large tree trunk, her school skirt ripped half way up her thigh. She was just wondering whether she should take the bothersome thing off when sudden shouting called her attention away from it.

"Heeeelllllooooo? Is anybody out there?" the voice called. It was a female's voice. The fair-haired girl felt hope grow inside her. Perhaps it was one of the few school teachers who'd evacuated with them. They'd know what to do.

She turned in the direction of the voice and fought her way through the creepers over to it, "I'm here!" she called. "Where are you?"

"Where are YOU?" the voice yelled back.

The girl was about to answer, but then she realized that she had no idea where she was. Instead, she just headed in the direction of the voice. The walk was harder than she was used to, and soon she found herself panting. Her shoulder length, usually straight, fair-hair kept getting stuck in branches, and her clothes stuck to her body uncomfortably. Eventually though, she came to the source of the screaming.

To her dismay, it was not an adult.

A redheaded girl heavily marked by freckles turned to face her. Her curly hair was tied back in a ponytail, but there were sticks lodged inside of her mass of hair. She'd taken off both her sweater, and her shirt, so she stood in front of the fair-haired girl in nothing but a bra and her school skirt.

The fair-haired girl gaped at her companion. The redhead didn't seem to notice her surprise, or she just didn't care, for she approached the girl with a spring in her step and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"There you are. I've been lookin' for someone. Where are we? This certainly doesn't look like an airport to me," she said. The joke did not make the fair-haired girl laugh, for she could not understand how the redhead could be so happy under such conditions.

The freckled girl didn't seem to mind the other's reaction. She just shrugged and started walking away. The fair-haired girl felt she had no choice but to follow.

"What's your name?" she asked the redhead. She'd never noticed her at school before, but then again, most of the girls she didn't know.

"Catie," the girl replied. She did not ask the fair-haired girl's name, but her companion thought it best to give it regardless.

"I'm Alicia," the blonde supplied.

Catie nodded in acknowledgement and then began asking Alicia questions she couldn't possibly answer, "So do you know where we are? It looks like an island. This is pretty cool huh? Kind of like in those adventure books."

Alicia didn't think this was cool at all, and she didn't much like reading, so she didn't know anything about these adventure books, but she nodded none-the-less. "Do you know how to get out of this jungle?" she asked. She wanted to get by the water and away from this endless maze of foliage.

"Don't know. Hey, have you seen any adults around?"

"No."

A large grin spread across a pale, freckled face. "No grown-ups," Catie said. She cart wheeled across the jungle floor and came up red faced with glee. "That's great. We can make our own rules!"

"I don't know…" Alicia muttered, biting her lip. "Just cause we haven't seen any doesn't mean there aren't any. What about that pilot?"

Catie thought this over for a moment, then she shrugged. "Well, if there are any adults, we'll find 'em. Come on," she grabbed Alicia's hand and stole away through the jungle. Alicia found it hard to keep up, and when a loud, blaring noise suddenly filled the jungle, she wrenched her hand out of Catie's and listened.

Catie turned around and looked at Alicia with a puzzled expression on her face. "What's wrong?"

Alicia didn't answer, but stayed silent and still until she heard the same horn blow again. The noise came strong for a few seconds, but then slowly faded away. "Did you hear that?" she asked her companion.

Catie stood still as well, her eyes closed, and her hands on her hips. Then another one of those large grins spread across her face and she blinked her vivid green eyes back open to stare at Alicia. "I did! I did! Come on! Let's go see…" she grabbed Alicia's hand once more and rushed off, but this time the girls headed in the opposite direction, towards the noise.

They ran through the jungle as fast as they could, the branches slapping them as they ran. They ignored this however, so excited at what they may find when they found the source of the noise. They kept running until they emerged from some trees onto a sandy beach. The sand seemed to extend forever, and was only interrupted by the jungle to its right and the ocean to its left. Alicia felt relieved to be out of the jungle. She had the urge to take off her shoes so she could feel the sand crinkle between her toes, but Catie's words interrupted her thoughts. "Look! Over there!"

Catie extended a finger in the direction of a small lagoon by the beach, and next to the lagoon, sitting on some fallen logs, were about twenty or so boys and girls in various states of undress. Others were emerging from the jungle and heading towards the group, just as Alicia and Catie were.

"Come on! Let's go!" Catie said excitedly. She pulled Alicia towards the others so fast that Alicia struggled to keep up in her bulky shoes. Like her shirt, Catie had also taken off her shoes, so her steps were far quicken than Alicia's. Once they reached the group of children, Alicia finally was able to take it all in.

Most of the young boys had stripped themselves of everything, but the rest remained mostly dressed. Nearly all of the girls were dressed, with only a few brave enough to take off their shirts. They still held the laws of society close to them, including the one where you were not supposed to be naked in the presence of others. The fact that Catie was one of the few in nothing but her bra and skirt didn't seem to bother the redhead. She carried herself with confidence and seemed oblivious to anything that didn't have to do with her.

A boy with hair similar to the color of Alicia's stood before the others, a cream-colored and pink conch shell held in his hands. The shell was pressed to his lips, and every few seconds he'd take a big breath and then blow into it, causing a low, horn like sound to be produced. He was taller than her, but not by much, with grey eyes and hair that hung a bit into his eyes. He wore no shirt, or shoes, but a simple pair of school shorts that hung snugly on his hips. Another boy, rather plump who wore thick, square glasses, stood before the others as well, apparently taking names. The rest were seated around the two boys as if listening to a teacher in a classroom. Alicia felt compelled to sit down as well.

Before she got the chance however, the large boy came over to her and Catie to ask their names.

"Catie, and what's going on here?" Catie said, not giving Alicia a chance to speak. She'd suddenly changed from her earlier happy-go-lucky demeanor into a far more aggressive form. Alicia found the change interesting, but also unsettling. The boy seemed taken aback at her abruptness, but answered her none-the-less.

"We're gathering everybody together. Having a meetin'," the plump boy with the glasses said. Then he turned to Alicia, "What you say your name was?"

"Al--"

Catie interrupted her yet again. "So who's in charge here? Are there any grown-ups?" Her voice had a tone that told Alicia she would not be messed with, and the fat boy felt compelled to answer her.

"Uh. We haven't found any yet. That's what the meetins' for," he said, then he walked away to take more names.

Alicia frowned, but didn't say anything, then she sat down on the sand. Catie sat next to her. "I guess no one knows what's going on. Maybe I'll ask that guy with the shell." She was about to get up and do just that when the boy sat down and his gaze hardened upon seeing something in the distance. Everyone turned to look, including Catie and Alicia.

A large black shadow seemed to be moving across the sand. It was only when the thing came closer did the group see it for what it truly was, a group of about fourteen kids standing in two parallel lines, following a gangly, freckled, and redheaded boy. He led the children with confidence and he reeked of pride. His appearance looked like the male version of Catie. Once they reached the group around the platform, he stopped the others like they were his troops. One of the small girls bumped into him because of his abrupt stop and fell over, but he paid her no mind. He simply approached Ralph and began asking questions.

Catie did not like the look of this boy. She knew he would be a problem the moment she saw him. The way he carried himself, like he was so much more important than everyone else, and then the way he began demanding answers from Ralph. Catie didn't like it. He was far too similar to her. He asked Ralph the same questions Catie had planned to ask: Isn't there a ship, then? Isn't there a man here? The way he asked the questions brought everyone's attention to him. He was a natural born leader, and to Catie, a competitor.

The boys wanted to sit down, but the redheaded boy wouldn't let them. Suddenly, a tiny boy with a mess of thick black hair fell over in faint. Some of the girls gasped, but the choir gave no indication anything strange had happened. Several of the girls stood up. A dark haired girl actually began to walk over to the boy, but stopped when her four-eyed friend grabbed her hand to stop her. Alicia stood up as well and headed over to the choir group. Catie watched in surprise but didn't stop her.

"All right then. Sit down. Let him alone," the choir's leader said. When he spotted Alicia approaching the fallen boy, he snapped at her. "What are you doing? Let him alone!" He waved a hand at Alicia, who'd just knelt down beside the boy.

"What's wrong with him?" she asked, concern laced throughout her tone.

"He faints all the time. It's no big deal," one of the boys in the choir piped up. The head boy seemed angry that he had spoken out of turn, but didn't say anything.

"Exactly, now, are there any grownups here?" he asked Ralph.

The blond shook his head. "No."

"Then we'll have to look after ourselves."

Suddenly, the fat kid spoke up again. "That's why Ralph made a meeting, so we can decide what to do. We've got some names," the boy then went on to name every single name he'd learned. The choir leader glared at the boy.

"Shut up, Fatty," he spat.

Everyone laughed. Even the youngest of the lot. It was easy laughter, and it left them feeling more like a united front, with Piggy standing on the outside.

The boy with the conch, who Piggy had introduced as Ralph called out at once, "He's not Fatty! His real name's Piggy!"

This was evener funnier than Jack's comment, and all the kids laughed. "Piggy, Piggy!" They chanted. Catie joined in, the laughter leaving her easily.

Eventually the laughter faded and the children continued to introduce themselves. It would be impossible for Catie to remember them all, so she only focused on remembering the most important ones.

The choir went first. There was Maurice, Bill, Robert, Henry, Harold, and Roger, who was a dark and silent boy. He didn't meet anyone's eye and was far too quiet for Catie's liking. Something was up with him. The girl choir members went next. There was Taylor, Lizzie, Jessica, Hanna, and finally Beth, who was the quietest of them all. She stood behind her leader, who'd introduced himself as Jack, and hid in his shadow.

Alicia, still kneeling by Simon, finally got to introduce herself as the choir did. The boy beside her, the one who'd fainted, stirred slightly and then awoke. He sat up and blinked around in confusion. Alicia smiled at him. Simon smiled back and then looked around the group. He introduced himself as Simon and then sat there quietly.

"Are you okay?" Alicia asked him.

Simon nodded shyly and began to draw a pattern in the sand with his finger.

"Maybe if you took that black cloak off you wouldn't get so overheated," Alicia suggested.

"Jack won't let us," Simon said simply. It was clear Jack was there leader, and Simon would do anything the boy suggested. Jack's word was law.

After everyone finished with the introductions, names that most of them would probably forget within minutes, Jack spoke once more. "We've got to decide about being rescued."

"We need a chief," Catie spoke suddenly. It was far past time she made herself known.

"Exactly," Ralph agreed.

"I ought to be chief," Jack said cockily, "because I'm chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing a C sharp."

Catie let out a bark of a laugh and snort that drew everyone's attention. "None of that matters here. 'I can sing a C sharp!" she mocked, her voice going impossibly high in her imitation. "If you ask me, the kid with the conch should be leader. He's not so bloody full of himself. Better yet, I should be leader. I'm a girl, which means I can definitely keep a clearer head in extreme situations."

Jack turned to face his antagonizer and his eyes narrowed when they met Catie's. The first flames of hatred brewed, and already it was clear that they had both met their match. His blue eyes racked over her, taking in his opponent. She looked like a savage already. Sticks and leaves were woven throughout her hair and her skirt was ripped across the bottom. She wore a simple white bra that barley covered her and made Jack feel a strange stirring inside him that had nothing to do with his anger. Jack found himself frustrated with the fact that his challenger was female, because now he couldn't solve the problem with a simple brawl on the beach sand.

"That's crap. You're a girl, which means you'll flip just getting dirt under your nails," Jack said. This drew laughter from the crowd, but only three fourths of it. The girls were not laughing, and any that were, laughed with a false laughter that only served the purpose of making their lesser number feel included.

Catie flushed, but didn't back down, "Me? You're more girly than me! You're in the choir? Do you sing like a girl as good as you sound like one?"

There was less laughter this time, because the choir did not appreciate this joke. A dark haired girl in the crowd suddenly spoke up, "Stop it! Let's just have a vote!"

"Yeah," the dark boy named Roger drawled, "A vote."

And so it was decided.

"Fine," Catie reluctantly agreed. "Who wants me for chief?"

At first no one raised their hands, but slowly several of the older girls raised their hands in the air hesitantly. Some of the littluns, hoping to find a mother figure, raised their hands as well. Too bad they'd never find a mother figure in Catie. The hands that were up where not nearly enough to elect her. She pouted and sat silently, fuming.

Jack, feeling smug after her defeat, held himself with even more pride (if possible) and gazed around at the rest. "All right then. Who wants me for chief?"

The choir dutifully raised their hands in the air, but the majority did not. This dampened Jack's confidence and he sat down on a log next to the choir.

"The kid with the conch!" Someone called out.

"Yeah, Ralph!"

"Ralph, Ralph!"

Ralph could not hide his smile as he stood there and cradled the conch like it was a precious treasure. "Okay, who wants me to be chief?" Ralph asked.

Immediately nearly every hand shot in the air. There was just something special about the boy who'd gathered them all together. He was more handsome than Jack, not lanky and bony like the choir leader. Ralph was not overly cocky, but held himself with a quiet confidence that pleased most of the assembly. "I guess I'm chief then." Ralph announced, glancing around at them all.

Cheers followed, and even the choir clapped politely. Some of them, secretly, would have voted for Ralph had they not been under Jack's demanding rule for so long. Some of the younger ones were actually scared of the freckled boy. Ralph noticed Jack's disappointment, so it was decided that Jack would be in control of the choir, who would be the head hunters for the group. The choir was finally allowed to remove their togs under Jack's command, and gratefully they obeyed.

Alicia, still seated by Simon, tried to ignore the boys as they stripped themselves of their togs, some even stripping of much more. She understood that it was hot, but that didn't mean everyone suddenly got the right to walk around naked! Once the black cloak was stripped of him, Simon remained in a white shirt and grey shorts, both of which stuck to his tanned skin like they were a part of him. With the large cloak on, Alicia had been deceived to his size. The cloak had swallowed the boy's small body, and without it he looked extremely frail and small. He was barely bigger than Alicia, in both height and width.

"What do I get to be?" Catie demanded suddenly, drawing Alicia's attention from Simon and back to the redhead she'd met first.

Ralph opened his mouth to reply, but Jack beat him to it.

"Nothing," he said simply.

Catie glared at him, and was about to retort, but Ralph spoke over her. "Okay, so we've gotta figure out what to do next!" his words were loud, trying to draw the groups attention back to him and away from the seething Catie. "I'm gonna take a group to explore, to see if this is really an island. If it isn't, we might be rescued straight away, but if it's not… well then we'll have to come up with a long term plan. I'll go, and Jack, and, and…" His gaze traveled over all the eager faces. "And Simon."

Simon, sitting silently beside Alicia, stood up hesitantly and to some giggles. He nodded at Ralph and went to join the two older boys who were to go with him.

Some of the other children wanted to go as well, but Jack and Ralph waved away their pleas, then walked off down the beach with Simon in between them.

Once they were nearly out of sight, Catie rose from her seat on the sand and scurried over to Alicia. "Let's follow them," she announced, her hands resting on her hips once more.

"But--" Alicia began. Catie cut her off.

"Listen, if we don't follow them, than us girls won't get any respect. We need to prove to them that we're just as capable as they are, or they'll never let us join them on any of their expeditions!" Catie exclaimed, gesticulating with her hands to emphasis this fact.

"Maybe we should just stay back and build some shelters…" Alicia suggested, her eyes glancing over to a short, dark haired girl who stood with a group of littluns and some others, gathering wood from the nearby jungle.

"No!" Catie yelled. "If we do that then we'll get stuck with acting like housewives on this island to all the boys! This is our island too. I'm not gonna listen to everything Ralph says. They're just stupid boys who think they're smarter than us, don't you see? We've gotta prove 'em wrong!"

Alicia stared at the other girl in amazement. Never had she met such an outspoken girl before. She was torn between admiration and alarm at Catie, who was so far different from her. "Um…okay, I guess," she agreed at last.

With a wide grin spreading across her face, Catie grabbed Alicia's hand and pulled her after the boys. "I knew I could count on you!" she said.


	2. An Island Of Their Own

Author's Note: Thank you guys SO much for reviewing! I love reviews, they inspire me to write more. So yeah, I just wanted to reply to you guys.

FashionOnMe: Wow! Thanks so much! You're my first reviewer! I'm glad you like it. You like Catie? Well, hopefully you'll still like her later on... ;)

TuesdayNovember: Yay! I'm glad you think the charaters are interesting. I'm usually nervous about making orginal characters cause I'm afraid I'm going to make them seem boring. Thank you!

HermioneLennon: Well I don't want to spoil anything, but I will say that there will definetly be more Jack/Catie! Thanks for reviewing!

Lycan Lover: Thanks for the review! I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much.

Madeleine421: Thanks! I hope you like this chapter as much as the first one.

So yeah, thanks so much guys!! This chapter is shorter than the last one, but only because if I added more than it would have been hard for me to find a place to stop and it probably would have ended up mega-long. Oh, also, as you can see, the current title of this story is kinda bleh. So if anyone can think of a better title, I would greatly appreciate it! I will love you forever if you do!

Warnings: None really, just some swears again, but don't worry, this story will well earn it's T rating for sure. haha

Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Flies, if I did, the story would have been very different.

* * *

The two girls walked along the beach after the boys. Catie still held Alicia's hand, but Alicia wiggled free of her gasp and glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one noticed their leaving. No one noticed their departure, so busy were the others in swimming in the lagoon, roughhousing in the sand, or helping gather logs for upcoming shelters. One boy, however, sitting off by himself, the conch by his side, watched as they walked away. He rose from his spot by the conch, pushed his glasses up his nose, and hurried after them. He caught up with them about halfway down the beach and, panting, decided it was his job to stop them.

"What are you doing?" he asked, trying his best to ask with a tone of authority that he simply didn't possess.

Catie whirled around and faced Piggy. Her expression alone was enough for the pudgy boy to recoil, but Alicia's gentle tone despite her straightforward response calmed him enough to gain some of his confidence back. "We're going exploring," she said simply.

"Uh," said Piggy, frowning, "You're not allowed to do that."

"Who said?" Catie snarled.

Piggy took a step back at her words, but stood his ground the best he could, "Ralph, and he's chief, and I couldn't go, so you can't go neither. "

"We can do whatever we want."

Alicia felt bad for Piggy, and slightly ashamed for laughing at him earlier, so she tried to make amends, "I guess you can come, if you want." Her words didn't sound exactly genuine, but Piggy jumped at the chance.

He smiled and nodded his head vigorously, "Yeah, I'll come. I can always take names later."

With a heavy sigh, Catie turned away from the other two and rushed off down the beach. "Try to keep up will you?" she called back.

Alicia, with a slight doubtful frown at Piggy, quickened her pace and caught up with Catie in no time. Piggy had more trouble, but he trotted behind them at his own pace.

"Why'd you have to go and do that?" Catie asked Alicia.

"Do what?"

"Invite Piggy along! He's gonna slow us down!"

Alicia just shrugged, and the girls, with Piggy scurrying along behind, made their way after the three boys far ahead of them.

The trip was made in tense silence, until Catie suddenly reached an arm out to stop Alicia. Alicia stopped abruptly and saw what Catie was looking at. The three boys they'd followed had just rounded the corner and where making their way up the mountain. Once they'd disappeared from view, Catie nodded and they continued. This brief pause had given Piggy the chance to catch up, so now they made their way up the mountain together.

Alicia was panting. She was covered in sweat, and tree branches kept slapping her in the face, because whenever Catie pulled one out of the way to get through, she swung it back without looking, which resulted in Alicia getting hit in the head one too many times.

Piggy was worse off. He sounded like he was dying back there.

"You already Piggy?" Alicia asked, chancing a glance back to the plump boy.

Piggy didn't answer, but his breathing became heavier and Alicia wasn't sure if he was capable of answering. "Catie! Slow down!" Alicia ordered, stopping her walk to see if Piggy was all right.

Catie turned around, red in the face from heat or anger, Alicia didn't know. She placed her hands on her hips like she usually did when she was frustrated. She opened her big mouth to retort, but the next second a loud bang sounded. The noise wiped the glare right off Catie's face. "What was that?"

"Don't know," Alicia said. Piggy, still wheezing behind them, could only manage a shrug. Alicia looked out over Catie's head and higher up the mountain they were climbing. With a shriek, she grabbed Catie's hand and wrenched her backwards.

"Look out!" She cried. Catie fell to the jungle floor just as a huge rock descended upon them and landed in the place Catie had just been. Piggy gave a loud howl and Catie screamed bloody murder. The rock rolled toward Piggy, but he shuffled out of the way just in time.

A little ways up the mountain, three boys stood overlooking the forest. They watched as the rock they'd worked so hard to dislodge fell off the edge and went tumbling into the trees. There really was no reason for pushing the rock over, but it had seemed a nice distraction from their trek to the mountaintop. Rejoicing, they began to cheer, until a loud, earth-shattering shriek broke through their celebration.

"What was that?" Ralph asked the other two, standing quite dangerously close to the edge as he looked down in confusion.

"I dunno," Jack said. "An animal?"

"It sounded human," Simon said thoughtfully.

Jack's eyes narrowed and he stepped back from the edge and started to head back. "Let's go see."

Simon and Ralph followed Jack down the mountain, retracing their steps. Jack spotted something red through the trees. He reached out an arm to halt the other boys and raised a finger to his lips. He extracted a knife from his pocket and started forward quietly, the knife extended.

"Jack, I don't think--" Ralph began, but Jack waved him off.

"Shut up!" He hissed.

Ralph glanced at Simon, who shrugged and motioned for Ralph to follow. The three boys continued through the jungle silently, and once they got closer to the red thing, Jack quickened his step, and with a yell, emerged from the trees with his knife extended.

"What are you doing here?" He suddenly boomed. In front of him, just a couple inches from his knife, stood Catie, with her usual glower. Her hair was even worse than usual, and she was covered with a sheen of sweat. Alicia and Piggy were behind her. Piggy was wheezing on the ground, with Alicia beside him, at a loss as of what to do. Jack glared at the lot of them, so angry that they'd dared venture off, the very thing that he had told the others _not_ to do.

"Get that thing out of my face!" Catie yelled. She grabbed his wrist, her nails digging into his flesh, and pushed the knife away from her body.

Jack winced, but didn't give any other indication she had hurt him. "I asked what you were doing here," he repeated himself with a snarl. His eyes bore into Catie's skull, so intense with anger that only her own could match.

"We…well…uh…" Alicia muttered, staring past Jack and into the forest, afraid to meet his gaze.

Piggy interrupted her stutters. "Us? What are you--" he gave a loud cough and then continued--"doing throwing rocks for? I nearly had an asthma attack."

Ralph let out a short, awkward, laugh, "Sucks to your ass-mar," Ralph said. The laugh seemed to lower the tension just a tad, and Alicia and Simon laughed nervously.

Jack's lips twitched, but he still managed to hold his angry expression. "This isn't funny. We told you not to follow and you did. Now go back to camp."

Alicia looked like she was about to take Jack up on that offer, but Catie would not allow herself to be pushed around. "No way. We've already come this far. We're not leaving."

Jack was furious, and it was clear neither redhead was going to back down. Before Jack got a chance to reply, Simon piped up nervously, "Come on Jack. Let's just go with them. We're nearly there anyway."

Jack looked back to Simon who was standing by Alicia and Piggy. "Fine, but there won't be any more defying my orders? Got it?"

Catie scoffed, but Ralph quickly cut her off. "My orders," he said.

"What?"

"No more defying _my_ orders. I'm chief, remember?"

Jack looked like he was about to argue for a second, but then he shrugged, sheathed his knife into his pocket, and replied, "Yeah, yeah. Right. Okay, let's go."

The six trudged through the jungle, Jack and Catie in the lead. Every time one would go a little faster than the other, the slower one would quicken their step so they were even again. Alicia noticed this, and finding it quite ridiculous, raised her eyebrows at the two and exchanged a glance with Ralph and Simon. They boys shrugged and continued their walk in silence.

When they reached the indent in the earth where the rock had been Piggy broke the silence, "What were you knockin' it over for anyway?"

Jack, Ralph, and Simon, having no good answer for this, waited for one of the others to reply, before Jack finally said. "For fun."

Catie, seeming to get annoyed with everything Jack said, snorted, "For fun? You're not supposed to be up here goofing around! You're supposed to be up here checking out the island. See?" She turned to Alicia, "This is why I told you a girl should lead."

Jack had quite enough of Catie. She was not the leader, so she had no right to keep provoking him. It really bugged him that she spoke as if he weren't even there when she talked to Alicia. She wasn't leader. He was, well, at least, he _should_ be. Jack turned to her and spat, "Shut up! You're not leader, get it? So get over it!"

"Well neither are you!"

Piggy, getting more frustrated by this childish behavior by the minute, suddenly exclaimed, "Look, stop acting like kids, okay?"

"Shut up, Fatty!" Jack and Catie said together. The shared insult, in some strange way, resulted in the two finally getting over themselves for a moment enough to share a small, secret smile.

That smile allowed the kids to walk together for at least a few minutes in sweet, semi-comfortable silence.

Simon slowly let his mind wander away from the others and simply observed the land that was around him. As they climbed the mountain, everywhere he looked seemed to grow in its beauty. He was excited as the prospect that the island might be undiscovered, and that it was theirs alone. As they neared the top, butterflies swirled around them, drawing Simon's attention even farther away from the other's conversation. It wasn't until Alicia grabbed his arm suddenly that he snapped out of his own little world and faced reality.

"You almost stepped in dung," she said. He met her pale chocolate gaze and then followed it down to the ground underneath him. Sure enough, a few inches from his feet was a pile of feces from some animal. Alicia smiled at him when he met her gaze again. He sidestepped out of the way and smiled back. She released his arm after a moment and the place where her hand had been burned with a pleasant warmth Simon couldn't quite describe.

"Hey, I think that's a pig's shit!" Jack said excitedly.

"So?" Catie said.

"It means we'll be able to catch something when we go hunting," Jack said with the tone of explaining something obvious to a small child.

Catie placed her hands on her hips, but didn't say anything.

Ralph called from up above, "Guys, come on! I've found the top!"

With a new excited air about the group, the five rushed forward and caught up with Ralph on the top of the mountain. As suspected, but further proved when they reached the top, the land they were on was an island, and it certainly appeared to be uninhabited.

Water surrounded them on all sides. A coral reef lay to one side of the island, swirling with colors of pinks and greens and blues. Trees, bushes, and vines covered the entire island, all except for a long line in roughly the center of the island were the plane had landed and wiped all the greenery away. The platform, where all the children had gathered, could be seen as a small square in the distance, with tiny ant people moving about it.

Alicia let out a soft 'oh,' expressing the awe all of them were feeling. It was beautiful, and it was all theirs.

"I don't see any smoke or anything," Piggy said at last, drawing them out of their fantasy haze and back down to reality.

"This is an island then, and we're probably the first to discover it," Ralph said, feeling triumphant.

The idea of being the first to discover such a magnificent place had all the teens grinning in delight. This was there island, and without any grownups to stop them, they could do whatever they pleased! It was both a very exciting yet daunting thought.

"We can catch things," Jack said excitedly, "Hunt animals for food until they fetch us!"

"We'll make shelters," Alicia added.

"We can do whatever we want," Catie concluded.

"It's all ours." Ralph spread his arms wide as if to emphasize this fact.

The kids stood on top of the mountain for a few more minutes, taking in the sights and letting the weight of the current situation rest on their shoulders. There was no one here. No one to tell them what to do. They were in charge, and responsible for their own fate.


	3. Whispers in the Jungle

Author's Note: So already here's the next chapter! I'm really going fast, I don't know how I'm doing it. haha Anyways, I'd like to thank you five for reviewing again! You guys are super awesome! I love reviews, they are like chocolate to me. I'm really having fun with this story, so I'm glad to see someone's enjoying it and I'm not just writing it for myself. I saw that you guys have some Lord of the Flies stories up as well! I'll have to read them this weekend when I have more time. School gets in the way of things. It feels unfair you guys reading mine and me not reading yours! So yeah, expect some reviews from me this weekend on your stories. Anyway:

Madeleine421: Thanks for reviewing again! And I will be continuing for sure!

TuesdayNovember: Well, I hope you can come up with something, cause I'm the worst at coming up with titles! I'm sure anything you can come up with will be better than my "Blah" title. Thanks for the review!

Lycan Lover: Thank you! I love your avatar by the way! I love the Potter Puppet Pals.

FashionOnMe: Yay, I'm glad you like the characters! Originally Alicia was going to be more like Catie but that idea sorta... fell apart. lol Yeah, she's like Simon. I love Simon. I was so upset when he died. :*C

HermioneLennon: Thanks! Oh, and there's more Jack/Catie issues in this chapter. haha Enjoy. C:

Warning: Just swears.

Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Flies, obviously.

Okay, so I might not be able to get a chapter out tomorrow, but probably on Friday is when the next one will be out. I'm really enjoying writing this story. It's a nice change from the usual plotless stuff I wrote about a year back. lol Anyway, I'm talking way too much! Oh, I still need a better title! *wink, wink, nudge, nudge* Okay, thanks guys, on to the story!

* * *

The six stood on the mountain top for several minutes, just taking in the view and thinking about their next move. Jack was forming his hunting party in his head, thinking of the pig droppings from earlier. Ralph was planning what to say at the meeting, and Simon found he was getting quite hungry. Soon, the sun seemed to get lower in the sky and they decided it was time to go.

"Come on," Ralph announced as he stepped back from the mountain's edge. "We've found what we wanted to know."

"We better hurry, it's getting dark," Alicia said thoughtfully. She felt her hair sticking to her neck and she wished she'd brought a ponytail to clip it back. The harsh rays of the sun had faded slightly, but they left a sticky, humid darker period that felt even hotter somehow.

"That way's the quickest," Simon said, pointing a finger down a patch of thick grass and many flowers, but where few trees resided.

The way back seemed much harder than the way forward, simply because all the kids were thirsty and hungry and tired. It was more quiet too, that is, until their quiet walk was interrupted by a soft squealing coming from some creepers.

"What--?" Alicia started.

Jack shushed her and unsheathed his knife again. Catie rolled her eyes at his overreaction, and they followed him towards the bunch of creepers.

"It's a piglet!" Piggy said unnecessarily, stating the obvious. The tiny animal heard him and struggled harder, trying to free itself of the creepers, but the effort was useless. Vines were wrapped around it's legs tightly, and whenever the piglet moved to try and free itself, the vines just clung tighter.

Alicia pitied the poor thing. Her hunger did not have a long enough time to settle and stir, so the farthest thing from her mind was thinking the piglet was food. Her survival instinct had not quite kicked in yet. Her party however, knew the importance of survival. Who knows how long they'd be on the island? They needed to get food whenever the chance arose.

Jack's knife hovered uncertainly over the piglet. He slashed downward, towards the pig's leg, but then stopped. Sweat beaded on his brow and he hesitated, deciding. There would be blood, he knew there would be. Blood would poor and the piglet would die and he alone would be responsible for ending a life. Even though the life was only that of a tiny piglet, Jack found he couldn't do it. He couldn't strike the blow.

His indecision was just long enough for the piglet to finally manage to slip out of the creepers and scurry, his life spared.

There was silence for a moment, as the adrenaline rush from the potential of a kill faded and the kids relaxed once more. Catie recovered first. "What were you waiting for?" she hissed. She faced Jack with an unreasonable magnitude of anger in her eyes.

Jack glowered back, the hand that held the knife was shaking and he found himself beginning to shake as well, both in anger at Catie and in the pressure of what he'd been about to do. "I was just choosing a place is all!" He told her, the words not sounding nearly as confident as usual. He tried again. "Next time I'll do it. Next time!"

"You're supposed to stick a pig," Ralph said.

Jack turned to Ralph with that same angry expression on his face. "I know that. I was just choosing a place!" He narrowed his eyes at them all, daring them to comment.

Catie was more than happy to.

"You better stop acting like such a baby and grow some balls if you want to lead the hunting group," Catie said, hands on her hips. Jack felt his face grow hot, because he knew she was right.

"Shut up! Next time, I told you! Besides, that was just a little piglet. That wouldn't sustain all of us. We'd better wait till we find something better."

Catie rolled her eyes at him. "Just more excuses for your--,"

Jack took a step closer to her, his knife waving in the air.

"Jack!" Ralph yelled.

"Calm down!" Alicia screamed.

Catie even looked slightly scared as he came closer to her. Jack just laughed eerily and put his knife away once more. "I was just kidding. You guys gotta calm down."

Piggy spoke softly, "Guys… we've gotta get back… and… and stop acting like kids!"

Jack looked like he was about to retort, but suddenly Simon appeared with some strange grey colored fruit in his hands. No one had even noticed him leaving due to all the commotion.

"Where'd you get that?" asked Ralph.

"Over there. There's a whole bunch of them."

The next second the whole group rushed off in the direction Simon had indicated, their hunger driving all other thoughts away.

Alicia stayed by Simon and smiled at him, "Thanks."

"For what?"

"For distracting them. I was afraid they were about to attack each other or something."

"Oh," said Simon, thinking about this, "I don't think they would."

"You don't?"

"No, I think it's all just talk. At least, I hope it is."

Alicia sighed and looked over to the others sadly. "I hope so," she said, watching as Jack raised one of the branches higher so Catie couldn't reach the fruit. She yelled something Alicia couldn't hear and when Jack just laughed in response, the redhead pushed Jack's chest, trying to knock him down. She remained as red in the face as she was on her head until Ralph kindly offered her one of his fruits instead.

"I think so," Simon assured her and handed one of his fruits to Alicia, "Here."

Alicia took the fruit in her hands gratefully and devoured it in seconds. It didn't taste all that great, and she wasn't even sure what it was, but the morsel satisfied her for the time being, and a look of pure delight filled her face for a moment.

Simon was glad when the worried expression left her face as she munched the fruit. He didn't like seeing anyone (especially the girl who seemed to have even more worries than him) sad. He wished everyone could just get along, but he supposed that wishing that wouldn't change anything, and it was just a waste of time to do so.

* * *

Diana lay under the shelter, trying palm fronds together with some belts from the survivor's shorts and placing giant leaves on the ground for blankets. She'd been working on these shelters ever since Ralph and the others had left to explore the jungle. She was a restless girl who always felt at her best when she was doing something useful.

The shelters were coming along nicely, but would have turned out better had she gotten more help. At first, everyone had been eager to help her, but as the day wore on the large group that had started building them had shrunk down to just her and a few other kids. They'd made exactly three shelters, the first was by far the best and most stable. The second was rather flimsy, and she was still working on the third.

Kimmy, a girl with strawberry blond hair and watery blue eyes passed Diana another belt through the shelter's entrance. Kimmy was one of the few who'd stuck around. The two girls had sat together at the assembly and Diana found the girl quite helpful throughout the day.

"Thanks," Diana said. She wrapped the belt through the logs that supported the roof and tied it tight.

"Hey, the boys are back," Kimmy said, her pink face popping into the shelter. Her red, square glasses sliding down her long nose.

As if on cue, Diana heard the shrill cries of Sam and Eric, the two she'd sent into the jungle to collect more wood for the shelters. "Diana! Diana!" They called together.

"Huh? What is it?" Her dark head emerged from the half made shelter. Wavy, nearly black hair curled around the girl's face and stuck up awkwardly in places. Crystal blue eyes the color of the sea followed the voice to find Sam and Eric jumping up and down in front of the makeshift shelter with a tiny boy at their side. The little boy's face was marked with a mulberry birthmark and he looked simply terrified.

Upon seeing their expressions, the young woman crawled out of the shelter completely and stood before them. She was a curvy girl, no were near heavy, but not anywhere near skinny either. She placed a stray strand of thick, dark hair behind her ear and looked at the three boys with genuine concern in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

Sam and Eric looked at each other and then back at her, hesitating. Sam spoke first, "You might not--"

"Believe us," Eric finished.

They spoke together and finished each others sentences like they were one entity. Diana found it easier to just refer to them as "Samneric" for whenever they spoke it was like they had one mouth. She found it interesting, but seeing them together reminded her of her own twin brothers back home, which made her heart ache. Diana smiled down at the boys reassuringly. "Try me."

"Well, he saw someone something--" Eric pointed to the small boy beside him.

"In the jungle, he said, he said he saw--"

"A beastie he said!"

"We thought he was joking--"

"But he seemed really scared. We were gonna go check it out..."

"But we don't wanna do…Not by ourselves."

Diana smiled kindly."He was probably just imagining things," She told them. Surely there was no beast. "He probably just saw a snake or pig and thought it was something else. You know how shadows can play tricks on you." She was repeating the words her mother had told her years ago when she'd been scared of the monsters in her closet.

"I dunno…" Samneric muttered, not reassured.

"Diana's right," Kimmy said softly to the twins, backing up her friend. Samneric still didn't look completely satisfied with the girls explanations, and the little boy next to them still looked struck by fear.

"Maybe it was a beast," someone said. Something about the voice sent a chill up Diana's spine. The four turned to see Roger stepping out of the jungle, a mysterious smirk on his face.

Diana glared at him and turned back to the boys, trying to reassure them, "There is no beast."

Roger sidled up to them and stood way too close for Diana's liking. He was a broad-shouldered, tall, and slightly creepy looking boy with hair as dark as midnight and eyes like silver moons.

"But what if there is? What if we're not alone?" he drawled, a wide, sinister smile on his face.

Diana narrowed her eyes at him, "There_ isn't_ a beast! Look, I'll prove it to you! We're going into the jungle. Now."

Samneric gulped, and the little boy beside them looked as if he were about to faint. Diana smiled at him warmly and took his hand in her own, "Come on, we'll go together. I'll prove to you there isn't a beast."

The little boy nodded and clutched her hand tightly. The two led the way into the forest, closely followed by Kimmy, the twins, and Roger, the last of which walked behind them in a slow, snakelike manner, freaking the hell out of the twins and the littlun.

"Where did you see it?"

The littlun pointed with a chubby finger over to a clump of vines that hung closely together and trees that were tightly packed. Diana fought her way through the creepers with the little boy shaking at her side. She took pity on him and scooped him up in her arms. He immediately buried his face in her neck, covering his eyes.

"There's nothing here," Diana concluded once they were all packed in between the trees. "I told you. There's nothing to be afraid of."

Samneric looked around nervously, but eventually started to believe her. The littlun stirred slightly, but didn't move from the safety of Diana's arms. "Go on, I promise, there's nothing here," Diana cooed. The littlun slowly peeked out and looked around. The still forest seemed to calm him slightly and he smiled up at Diana. Diana smiled back and made to put him down, but the littlun clutched at her neck and wouldn't let go.

"It must have gone," Roger said suddenly, shattering the confidence the kids had in Diana in one sentence. Diana turned and glowered at him. Roger just laughed quietly and continued, "Don't worry, if there is a beast…" He unsheathed a blade from his pocket and held it close to Diana's neck, "I'll cut its throat." He finished fiercely, slashing the knife in the air and jabbing it into a nearby tree. The littlun whimpered and Diana felt anger bubble inside her at this insolent boy who kept putting ideas in the littluns heads.

"You are an idiot and have no idea what you're talking about," she spat venomously.

Roger just laughed, "Whatever you say, mom." Then he walked away from the group and further into the jungle.

"Where's he going?" Kimmy asked quietly.

Diana just shook her head and turned to look at Samneric. "Don't listen to Roger. I promise there's no beast. Now, come on, let's go back and find something to eat."

The idea of food wiped all thoughts of the beast from Samneric's minds, but the littlun still looked concerned. Diana patted him on the back softly and headed back to the beach.

When they reached the start of the sand they heard the sound of a conch blowing, and they knew Ralph and the others had come back with news of their fate. Diana set the littlun down and watched as the six adventurer's stood around Ralph, looking sweaty and dirty, and some of them even angry.

"Let's go! Assembly!" Samneric cried, rushing off to the platform with Kimmy. The little boy with the birthmark looked up to Diana and they started to the platform together.

"What if Roger's right? Maybe the beastie just moved…?" the littlun suggested timidly, holding onto Diana's hand.

Diana looked down at him kindly, wishing there was some way she could prove to him there wasn't a beast. "Listen, if you're still worried, you can ask Ralph about it. He just came back from exploring the island. I'm sure he'd have noticed if there were any beasties around."

The little boy nodded and the two made their way to the platform together.


	4. The Boy With No Name

**Author's Note:** Here's the next chapter! Sorry it's a day late, but here it is. Thank you five for reviewing again! I know I can always count on you five!

_Madeleine421:_ Hmm... I'm not even sure if I'm going to have anyone die. Most likely someone is, but I keep going back and forth on who. I don't think I'm going to follow Golding's plot exactly, well, obviously I'm not, so as for Simon and Piggy's deaths, well... I'm not sure. They were my favorite characters too so it really sucked when they died. Thanks for reviewing!

_FashionOnMe:_ Your reviews always make me smile! Thank you so much! In my case, almost every main character is going to be paired up. Of course Ralph will be! I love him too much! In the fanfics I've read Jack gets most of the attention from the ladies, but I can't just leave Ralph out! I love him too much! I'm sure you'll get an idea as to who his lady is in this chapter. ;)

_Lycan Lover:_ Thank you! I hope it continues to get better and better. I'm worried that I'm going screw it up somehow! lol

_HermioneLennon:_ Thanks! I'm glad you like it! It makes me happy to think my writing reels you in. Thanks for the title suggestion! I actually think that's an awesome title! I was about to put it but then I found another story titled "Lady of the Flies," so then I wasn't sure if I should still title it that. Hmm.

_TuesdayNovember:_ Thanks for reviewing again! As for the plot of the story, I'd tell you it but it keeps changing even for me. I know that's not good, but I did have the whole thing planned out but it already changed. lol I think I probably will use a line from the story like you did with your Lord of the Flies story. I like "Our Own Rules" so if I can't come up with anything, I'll likely use that!

**Warnings:** Disturbing images and language. That's it. I'm warning you guys now though that in later chapters 'suggestive themes' will almost always be a warning. Knowing me how could I not put tons of romance in? So yeah. lol

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Lord of the Flies, blah blah

Diana fought her way through the darkness, branches slapping at her face and sticks cutting into her ankles. The light had gone, so she could only see just a couple feet in front of her. Everything else was surrounded in darkness. She didn't know where the others were. Most of them had probably gone back to camp and to the safety of the shelters, but she hadn't. She had to keep looking.

The young woman quickened her step and pushed through a tangle of creepers. Where was he? He'd been here just a moment ago! Everything had just gotten so chaotic. The fire seemed to have consumed them all as well as the forest, and no one had noticed his absence until it was too late. Diana didn't even know his name. How could she call for him when she didn't even know his name?

She felt tears prick her eyes but she blinked them away. She would not cry. She had to be strong, and tears represented weakness. She just had to keep looking, soon she'd find him… soon he'd--

A hand gripped onto her shoulder, and for a single moment she imagined the hand had claws and fancied the beast had come to eat her, but then she remembered that was ridiculous, that there was no beast. Still, the unexpected grasp caused Diana to let out a short, terrified scream, before a whispered voice calmed her.

"It's only me." It said. Diana sighed in relief and turned around to face Ralph, the leader of them all. Even in the darkness she could still make out his bright eyes and golden blond hair. His assuring words of rescue had calmed her earlier, but presently, here in the darkness, nothing he said could ease her fears.

"Look, Diana, we've gotta get back to camp. He's not here. He's…" Ralph trailed off, a look of shame coming onto his handsome face. Diana didn't like to see it. He wasn't supposed to give up!

"Don't say it. Don't you dare say it!" Diana exclaimed, unconsciously grabbing his wrists in her hands. She looked up at him with a look of pure desperation on her face. Ralph felt his heart ache. He couldn't believe what had happened. How had they been so careless?

"Diana…" he muttered, no longer knowing what to say. They both knew the truth; both knew their effort was useless, and yet for the past few hours they'd ran around the mountaintop looking for the boy with the mulberry birthmark, when they both knew they'd never find him. The fire had taken him. Taken the boy into it's hot wrath and swallowed him hole, never to be seen again.

The fire had gotten out of control, Ralph knew, and yet, he'd helped it get that way. It had spread all along the mountaintop, licking and consuming the jungle around them. Even now it still burned behind them, a small fire that had just started to fade.

Once the group had noticed the littlun's absence, most had started searching, but as the sun set and day became night they had wandered off, leaving just Ralph, Piggy, Kimmy, Simon, Alicia, and Diana on the mountaintop.

They'd searched for hours, but had come up empty handed. Ralph had purposely stayed away from where the fire had been, even though that was the most obvious place to look. He was afraid of what he'd find there. He was afraid he'd find the charred remains of a little boy who'd whined about a beastie that Ralph had brushed off as nightmares. The guilt slashed at him like a knife. He was their leader; he was supposed to prevent things like this from happening. He was supposed to preserve order.

"Ralph, we have to keep looking. He has to be here. He has too," Diana said with an air of determination, but also desperation.

"It's dark now. We're wasting our time," Ralph said quietly, knowing the words were ones she would not want to hear.

Diana glared, "Fine, you go back then. I'm going to keep looking."

Ralph frowned and finally met her crystal gaze. A while back he'd told the few who'd remained to head back, realizing their effort was in vain. He hadn't been able to find Diana though, and now that he'd finally found her he wasn't about to let her stay in the jungle alone at night. "Diana, no. Let's go." He spoke with a tone of authority that Diana didn't like. She let go of his wrists and crossed her arms over her chest.

She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them softly. Their blue depths looked shiny and her eyelashes were wet. "We _can't._" She said simply.

A sorrowful look took over Ralph's face as he looked at her. He barely knew her, but in that moment they grieved together, and he just wished he could tell her that the little boy was back at camp with the others, just to console them both. He had to face it though, they both had to. "Diana he's de--"

"No!" Diana hushed him. She turned away from him and rushed off through the jungle, back towards the tiny fluttering flame that was the remains of the fire they'd started hours before.

"Diana!" Ralph called. He cursed and sprinted after her. For her short legs, the girl could run fast. Ralph could barely see her in the darkness, but he followed the sounds of her breathing and pushed himself harder. He heard a scream and his heart beat faster. "Diana!" He yelled, feeling frantic now.

"Di--" But the next syllable of her name died on his lips when he broke through some dense foliage and came to a clearing. He stopped short and felt his whole body go numb. He'd found Diana, but she wasn't alone.

The girl kneeled beside a charred and scorched body of a little boy, barely six years old. His skin was flayed off muscle and blackened with ash. The stench radiating off him was horrid. Never had Ralph smelled anything more disgusting, or seen anything more gruesome. The little boy was no longer a little boy, but a monster, burned and bloodied. Pieces of his flesh were hanging off bone, and even the bone was darkened by fire.

Half of the boy's face was burned off, so all you could see was a large mulberry colored birthmark and one, blank, staring eye. Diana cradled the boy's hand in her own, shaking uncontrollably. She didn't look up at Ralph when he entered, but clutched the boy's burned hand tighter and began to let out these loud gasping sounds that scared Ralph almost more than the dead body in front of him.

Ralph felt his feet move forward of their own accord, and soon he was there, kneeling beside the body next to Diana. He didn't know what to say. He sat there numbly for a moment, listening to Diana's loud sobs and staring down at the littlun's blackened flesh. He felt like someone had taken all of the feeling out of him for a moment and all she could do was stare.

Suddenly he felt Diana grab his arm and her nails dug into his skin. This pain brought back a rush of feeling, so he felt large, fat tears well in his eyes and fall down his cheeks. His tears were silent, but they were no less meaningful than Diana's.

The boy was dead and gone. They were supposed to look out for everybody. Piggy was supposed to get everyone's names… They should have kept better track of the littluns. How could this have happened?

The two sat there for Ralph didn't know how long. Eventually, his tears ceased and he realized they had to leave. Staying here was just making things worse. He reached over and placed a hand on Diana's back, feeling awkward and sad and full of despair for the child in front of him.

The hand on her back brought Diana out of her haze of misery and in a whirl of movement she'd thrown herself on top of Ralph, her hands wrapping around his shoulders and her face pressed into his neck. She cried on him hard and Ralph felt sticky tears that were not his own fall down his neck. The tears that fell from his own blue eyes fell into Diana's dark hair and he held her tighter. The feeling of death was closing in around them.

"We need to leave," he whispered.

Diana's sobs didn't cease, but she nodded against him. Ralph tried to stand, feeling the sudden need to get away from the death, away from the smell, away from the sadness. Diana didn't stand with him though, and he found himself weighed down by her. "Diana…"

"He's dead!" she choked on her tears, "We killed him!"

Ralph shook his head fiercely, "No, no we didn't. We were just trying to make a signal fire. He must have been playing too close to it. We didn't…We didn't!" His words were full of fervor and were said to comfort them both.

Diana didn't respond, but pushed herself against Ralph harder. Having a girl's body so close to his own would normally excite him, but now all Ralph felt was that same strange numb feeling again. He wanted to forget. He wanted to forget about the little boy and go back to the assembly. He wished he'd never followed Diana; never had to see such a horrible sight.

"Please, please, let's just leave," he begged her. He dragged her up they were standing, but she still didn't let go of him. He didn't feel strong enough to comfort her, not when he couldn't even comfort himself. "Please…Diana…"

"We should bring him back," Diana said, her sobs quieting slightly. She leaned her head off of his neck and gazed up at Ralph with tears still clinging to her eyelashes. "So when… so when rescue comes…his family..." She choked on her words and pulled away from him, because Ralph's face was not a source of comfort when it reflected her own grief-stricken gaze.

"No!" Ralph shouted, reaching a hand out to grab her wrist before she went back over to the burned child who had no name. "No! Please, no. Let's just go. Please. I can't…I can't see this," Ralph breathed, his gaze wandered over to the littlun before flashing back to Diana. It was too much. The blood. The smell. The flesh. The death. Her tears... He couldn't deal with it. He had a tribe to lead. He had to forget this or he wouldn't be able to go on.

Diana's tears had finally ceased, but she still had that miserable look on her face as she gazed at Ralph in pure agony. "Okay," she finally said. "Okay. Okay. Let's go. Yes, yes, we better go."

She cast one last glance at the little boy before walking over to Ralph and standing in front of him with a blank look on her face. He had a feeling the same numb feeling had washed over her. The feeling that came when you simply couldn't deal with the pain. Ralph grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the ghastly scene.

* * *

"Ralph and Diana haven't come back yet."

"Maybe we should go back and look for them."

"Maybe the beast got them!"

"Did the beast get the littlun?"

"Maybe…"

"No, that was the fire!"

"We should--"

"Everybody shut the hell up!" Jack suddenly cried, breaking up the various side conversations going on.

The group of survivors were gathered on the platform once more. Jack sat at the head of the group, the conch resting in his lap. The rest of the kids surrounded him. Piggy sat nervously near Jack, still believing he was second in demand despite Ralph's absence. Catie sat in front and Roger stalked the back of the circle with Maurice and the rest of the choir.

"Listen, we'll worry about the fire later. Right now, I'm going to take a group of hunters into the jungle to catch pigs, because we need meat. That's the most important thing right now," Jack declared.

Piggy held out his hand for the conch, but Jack ignored him.

"I know you're all worried about Ralph and Diana, but trust me, they're fine. They're probably still looking for that kid. They'll be back soon enough."

Piggy made a loud grunting noise and shook his hand up and down. Jack continued to ignore him.

"So, I'm going to take a group of boys into the jungle to hunt pigs. We should only take five or so, anymore and things will get chaotic."

Piggy stood from his spot on the bench and coughed loudly.

"What _is_ it Piggy?" Jack finally asked, glaring in Piggy's direction.

Piggy snatched the conch from Jack's hands and stood before them all, determined to get his point across. "I think we ought to form a search party."

Jack and Catie rolled their eyes, but they both stayed silent for the moment.

"Who knows what might of happened to them? We shouldn't have let them go off on their own. I'm going to go into the jungle to look for them. Who'll come with me?" Piggy looked around expectantly. No one said anything.

Jack made a move for the conch, but stopped when Simon rose from his spot in the back. He stood before the rest of them nervously. "I'll come," he told Piggy, speaking to him directly. Although it was said quietly, there was determination in his voice. He wanted to find their leader, even if it meant disappointing Jack.

"Hey! Look!" Alicia suddenly yelled. All heads turned in the direction she'd indicated and upon seeing Ralph and Diana emerge from the jungle, some even cheered.

The two walked over to the group with slow, sluggish steps. Most of the older children noticed something was wrong with the way the two moved, and when they got even closer it was clear to most everyone that something was definitely wrong.

"Where have you been?" Alicia cried, sounding genuinely frightened. The two were quite scary looking. They looked far worse off than the rest. Grime and specks of blood covered their skin, and their expressions were that of the grave.

"Isn't it obvious?" Roger smirked, "They've been off screwing around."

His sexual joke drew laughter from some, but most realized the intensity of the situation and stayed silent. It was all too clear from the look on Ralph and Diana's faces that what they'd just been through had been anything but pleasant.

Diana cast a glance at Roger but didn't say anything. Her bottom lip shook and she looked on the verge of tears again. Ralph grabbed her hand in his and announced the news to the group. "We found the littlun. He's dead."

**Author's Note:** Well? What did you think? Did I write the first part okay? Suspense isn't my strong point, so I hope the description of the littun's death was okay. Give me feedback on that please!


	5. Nightmares

**Author's Note: **All right guys, I think I've finally come up with a better title. It's not that great though. How does "Beautifully Savage?" If you guys think it sucks than I'm changing it to one of your guys suggestions. I think it fits though, seeing as thinks are going to get savage and well, there's a line in this chapter that says that, so thanks to TuesdayNovember for giving me the idea of taking a line directly from the story. Anyway, thank you guys for reviewing again! You've all been extremely loyal to the story and I always love reading your reviews! They're always so positive! Oh, but you can give me criticism! lol As long as you aren't too mean about it.

_TuesdayNovember: _Thank you! haha yeah, maybe good isn't the right word. Maybe more like horrible. But thanks for assuring me on my writing. Like I said, suspense is my weak point.

_FashionOnMe:_lol Yeah, it's Ralph/Diana. I think Ralph deserves a girl. Roger, well he doesn't really deserve anything, but I do have plans in store for him... That irked me too! Ralph didn't even mention the poor little kid who disappeared! Thanks for reviewing!

_Lycan Lover:_ Thanks! Yeah, I was even sad writing it! I feel bad for that poor little kid...

_HermioneLennon:_Thanks you so much! Oh no the whole thing isn't going to be all about Catie! That would get boring for me. I like to write about everybody, that's why I keep switching points of views so often. This chapter has a lot of that. lol I know! That was a good title!

_Madeleine421:_Oh wow! Thanks! I hope you'll like the chapters to come just as much! I think burning or drowning to death are the worst ways to die. Anything that's slow is. I'm actually glad the description creeped you out. It was supposed to. lol Yeah, Ralph doesn't get much love from the ladies. haha

**Warnings:** Swears, slight suggestive themes.

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Lord of the Flies that would be super, but I don't, so don't sue.

The news of the little boy with no name's death plagued all the survivors like a disease. It ate at them like the fire that consumed the little boy's own corpse. They couldn't escape the reality of the situation. After Ralph's announcement, a pall had set over the assembly and even Roger had the smirk wiped clean off his face.

The death had brought gloom and that gloom had carried silence. No one spoke for a long time, but suddenly little Percival let out a loud wail that caused the rest of the littluns to cry too. The sky broke and a soft sheet of rain fell from the clouds, mixing with their tears. Gradually the group wandered off to the shelters to dream and forget the harshness of reality.

Diana did not cry anymore. She didn't think she possessed anymore tears. Kimmy came over to her and tried to offer words of comfort, but nothing could be said to wash the image of the little boy's burned body from her mind.

"Come on," Ralph said quietly. She noticed her hand was still in his and had been ever since they'd left the mountain. She didn't let go now, but followed him to the shelters where the other survivors had gone.

The three shelters that were standing were not enough to hold all the children, but somehow they all pushed inside, so some people were even piled on top of one another. Most of the girls stuck to one shelter and the boys to the other, but the littluns were all mixed together.

Diana and Ralph went to the shelter holding the littluns. It was the only one they could fit into. When the littluns saw Diana and Ralph enter, they all closed in around them, seeking comfort. Ralph and Diana were older, and the closest thing the littluns had to parents on the island.

Diana allowed them to curl up around her and cooed at them softly. Ralph knew how hard that must be for her, to act like everything was all right when in reality she was crumbling inside, and he knew she was crumbling. He knew it for sure.

Ever so often when they'd walked down the mountain she'd suddenly let out loud sobs and Ralph had been at a loss of what to do. He'd simply held her hand tighter. He hadn't known what to say to make things better.

Diana may whisper soothing words into the littluns ears now, telling them everything was going to be all right, and that they'd see their mommies and daddies soon, but he knew she didn't believe her words. He admired this about her, how she could put on a brave face just to comfort the little kids. Ralph didn't think he'd be able to do that. He hadn't even been able to comfort her properly on the way down the mountain.

He lay off to the side, listening to her comfort the littluns, and eventually the shelter became quiet. Eventually sleep came, but it was filled with nightmares for all.

* * *

Diana ran through the jungle, branches slapping at her face and ripping at her skin. She didn't slow down though. She had to find him. The forest seemed to stretch on forever, and it seemed as if she were running in circles, past the same places over and over again.

"Ralph!" She yelled, "Ralph!"

Her voice was hoarse and she was getting so tired. She past dark shadows in the trees, laughing mockingly at her. Just when she felt like she was about to collapse, she came to a clearing where butterflies flew and sunshine danced wonderfully over her skin. It was a tranquil place, but the Ralph she found there was not the Ralph she knew.

The strong blond boy lay in a heap at her feet, bloody and burned, just as the littlun had been. He was torn and broken. Ripped apart by teeth and claws, and further burned by fire. Tears streamed down her face and she cried out in agony. Now who could she rely on? Now who would hold her hand and keep her strong? She couldn't do this on her own. "Ralph…Ralph…" she whispered his name, but he didn't stir.

A dark chuckling brought her attention to the rocks in the corner of the clearing. Dark shadows were displayed on them. The shadows had claws and fangs and there was a whole group of them. A group of beasts. They seemed to grow bigger and bigger, as if they were getting closer and closer… She felt hot breath on her neck and she knew it was coming in for the kill. To give her the same fate it had given Ralph.

"NO!" she screamed and fought as the rough, clawed hands grabbed at her skin.

"Diana! Diana!"

Diana's eyes blinked open and she awoke with a start. Ralph was leaning over her, his blond hair falling into her face, blue eyes staring in alarm. His hands were wrapped around her arms and she realized she'd been fighting him. A thin trickle of blood was rolling down from his chest. She'd been clawing at Ralph, thinking he was the beast from her nightmares.

"Are you all right?" he asked. "You were having a nightmare. You were calling my name."

Diana lay frozen underneath him before she finally snapped out of it and released her dagger sharp nails from his chest. "I'm so sorry," she admitted.

"It's okay," Ralph said. He moved off her so Diana could see all the littluns gathered at the other end of the shelter, staring at her in terror.

Diana hated that they'd seen her like that. She didn't want the littluns to think she was monster. She sat up and smiled at them sheepishly. None of them moved.

"I was just having a nightmare. Everything's okay now," she said, trying to reassure them, but it was no use. She made a move toward them, but they just leaned further away. The little one, Percival, actually fell over, nearly toppling the shelter.

Ralph scooted over to them and spoke, "Don't be afraid of her. I know you're all scared and sad about…about your friend, but we've all gotta get past our fears and move on. Come on, let's go join the others." His tone was that of authority, and since he was their leader the littluns couldn't help but follow his words. They all ran out of the shelter in a rush, most too scared to even look at Diana, but some brave enough to give her a glance. Diana smiled at the ones that did, trying to win back her motherly status with them.

Once they were gone, Ralph sat down across from Diana and asked, "What were you dreaming about?"

Diana hesitated in answering, knowing he'd think her silly. "The beast," she finally said with a sigh.

"There is no beast Diana. I tell you, there is no beast!" Ralph seemed determined to get his point across. He didn't want her to be scared of the fictitious monster too.

"I know that," Diana said softly. "It's just…because of what happened yesterday…" Her words trailed off as did her gaze from his.

Ralph didn't want to talk about yesterday.

"Oh," he said simply, trying to wash the memories of the tiny, scorched body from his mind, "Well, I promise you there isn't a beast. And if there is a beast…" He puffed out his chest and played the part of a warrior, "We'll hunt it and kill it. I'll protect you."

Diana couldn't help but laugh, "You sound like Jack." Her laugh made Ralph smile and he found himself chuckling along with her.

"Maybe, but he's right. If there is a beast we'll kill it, but I promise there isn't one. How could there be? All that's here is pigs. I explored this place the first day we got here, remember? And there's nothing to be afraid of."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

But he wasn't right, because there certainly was something to be afraid of, and it was more terrifying than any imagined beast could be. The beast would never leave the island until they left, because it came with them, it resided in each one of them. It was them.

* * *

Jack sat in the sand in front of the ocean, his pocket knife in one hand and a stick in the other. He brought his knife to the stick and sharpened it, drawing the end into a tip. He was going hunting.

Everyone else was still mulling over that dead littlun, but Jack was done with that. Sure, it was sad, but they had to move on. They couldn't just spend their days feeling sorry for themselves! They had to get on with their lives. No one seemed to realize that the only people they could rely on now was themselves, and they had to start taking action now if they wanted to survive. There were no adults here, and although that was exciting, it also meant that they had to be more self-sufficient, and no one seemed to realize that except from Jack.

So that was why he was going hunting today. They needed meat and the only way to get that was to get it themselves. There were no supermarkets they could buy it from! Jack knew that all too well. He was ready now. The piglet from the first day had just been a mistake, but this time there would be no mercy.

"Are you going hunting today?" A soft voice asked. It was probably one of the choir girls. He knew that just because Ralph had been elected leader didn't mean his people no longer relied on him. He was prefect and in charge of this choir. It wasn't a surprise they still turned to him for instructions and relied on him to take care of them.

Jack didn't even lift his gaze from his work when he replied. "Yeah. We're gonna catch some pig today. No more eating this shitty fruit," he said, kicking the empty peel of a banana at his feet.

At first there was silence, and Jack suspected the girl had left, but then the tiny voice piped up again, "Can I come?"

At this Jack let out a loud snort that turned into a laugh when he turned and saw the girl who was talking with him. It was Beth. The tiniest girl in the choir. Her dull brown hair hung around her face limply and her equally dull brown eyes started up at him full of hope. "Are you joking?"

The hopeful look in Beth's eyes faded immediately at his words, and she looked simply devastated. "No…" she said quietly, staring down at her feet.

Jack just laughed harder and dropped his newly made spear at his feet. He stood so he was towering over her. Jack was already tall, and when he stood over Beth he appeared like a giant. "Let me get this straight. You want to come hunting with me and the guys?"

Beth nodded shyly. "Yes."

Jack laughed again and replied, "Sorry, no girls allowed."

"But…but Catie's coming, isn't she?"

"What?" The look that flashed onto Jack's face at the mention of Catie had Beth recoiling in fright.

"Catie…she said…she told me…"

"Catie is _not_ coming."

"Yes I am," a voice Jack knew all too well contradicted him. Catie strode over to the duo, a sharpened stick in her hand. She looked the same as she always did. Beautifully savage. Her dark red hair was everywhere, the strands flying into her vibrant green eyes and clinging to her pink lips, stained with the juice of some fruit. She still wore no shirt, and her bra had somehow deteriorated so it covered even less than before. She'd stripped off her gray school skirt, so now she wore a skirt made of leaves. She looked like an island princess and a vicious Amazon woman at the same time, and Jack was undeniably attracted to her.

He felt his body harden in anger and…something else, as she approached.

"You are not coming," he said simply.

"Yeah I am, and nothing you can say will stop me," Catie said, her hands on her hips.

Jack was about to retort, but was interrupted by Roger who'd somehow appeared next to Jack without him even noticing.

"You ready to go Jack?" he asked, waving his own sharpened stick in the air. He looked extremely excited for the hunt, more so than even Jack. This was why Jack liked Roger. The boy was his second in command. He'd do anything Jack wanted without question, and he helped keep the others in line.

"Yeah, I'm ready, let's go," he gave Catie a death glare and shoved past her, purposely brushing his shoulder against hers roughly.

Catie wasn't going to take that though, and she simply followed him. Jack ignored her for a while, hoping she'd get fed up and leave, but when she didn't he whirled around and shouted, "You're not invited get it? Now go build shelters or cook something like all the other girls."

Roger snickered at this and Jack smirked. Catie looked positively furious. "I'm not your little housewife get it? I'm coming and that's that. Deal with it."

"You are no--"

"Maybe we should let her come," Roger said unexpectedly, cutting off Jack.

_"What?"_

Roger smirked with a s cryptic smile. "Let's give her one chance," he said, his gaze looking Catie up and down. "She may prove to be…useful to us."

Catie didn't catch the double meaning in his words, but Jack did. He glared at Roger, a feeling of unwanted jealously rising inside him. It ran throughout his veins and made his body go hot with anger. Why was he getting so mad? He hated Catie, right?

"Fine. She can come. For now," he said, glaring at Catie. Catie was positively beaming. She held her head up high and stabbed her pointed stick into the sand menacingly.

"Let's go."

No one paid any attention to Beth as Jack and Roger walked off along the beach, Catie trailing after them. They were all going hunting, and once again Beth would be left alone. It was always like this. Even though she was a member of the choir she wasn't treated like one. She was tiny and frail and no one took her seriously. She couldn't even sing that well.

Beth was an outcast, and she always had been. She wasn't entirely sure why. Perhaps it was because of her quiet nature, or maybe it was because of her unappealing looks, but for whatever reason she had never fit in with the others. She would have quit the choir long ago if not for her parents and one red haired boy she couldn't help but try to please. Beth admired Jack more than any of the other choir members did. She loved his angelic voice and admired his leadership skills. She laughed at his jokes and adored his laughter. She liked how he wasn't afraid to talk back to the mean, vulture like choir teacher and how he'd stood up for her that one time Bill had made fun of her. Beth was obsessed with him. She loved Jack, at least as much as a thirteen year old girl could.

She wasn't sure when her crush had first formed. Perhaps it had been there ever since she'd first laid eyes on him, but one event back in school had caused her crush to escalate to a new level.

It had been one of her better days. The choir teacher had given Beth a solo for the Christmas performance, and Beth had been on top of the world. On that day Jack Merridew had spoken to her, he'd complimented her, which was one of the rare occurrences anyone ever talked to her, let along complimented her. She wished he'd notice her now.

But Beth saw the way he looked at Catie. He may seem angry with her, but underneath that anger she saw lust and want. Why couldn't he look at Beth like that? "Because you're not tall and pretty with red hair, vivid green eyes and ginormous boobs," the small voice in her head replied. All this was true of course. Although she was thirteen, Beth looked like she was ten. Many of the boys and girls mistook her for a littlun. But she wasn't a littlun! And she wished people would stop treating her like one! With a determined look on her face, Beth stole after Jack, Roger, and Catie.

She was going hunting.

Roger was the first to notice the little girl trailing behind them. Catie and Jack were far too busy shooting each other death glares to notice. Roger found it amusing the way they regarded each other. They acted like they wanted nothing more than to tear the other's head off, but he saw the way his best friend looked at the redhead. Jack liked her, although for the life of him Roger couldn't figure out why.

The choir girl rushed to catch up with them, and once she did, Roger cast her a careless glance before turning to Jack, "Hey."

Jack stopped his argument with Catie and turned to see Beth standing nervously beside Roger. "You again. What do you want now?" His words were said harshly, and Beth found herself mute for a few moments before she found the courage to speak.

"I--I--I'm going hunting with you," she said bravely.

Roger didn't both to stifle his laughter at her words. It was one thing to have Catie going, but Beth? What was she, like seven?

Jack sighed in frustration, "I told you already. You can't come."

"But…But--"

"Why not?" Catie sneered at Jack. "You can come if you'd like."

Jack felt his anger escalated. He already had one annoying girl stuck with him, and he did not need another one. "No, she can't. Come on, Roger." Without looking back Jack stalked away from the group. Roger followed him obediently, as he always did.

Catie turned back to Beth and spoke, "Come on, let's go."

Beth shook her head, filled with doubt and sadness at Jack's rejection, her confidence shattered, "No…no…never mind."

Catie frowned and her expression turned hard. "No. You're coming. Come on." With these words said she grabbed Beth's arm and pulled her off into the jungle, where the other hunters were gathered. It was one thing for Jack to push her around, but it was a whole different kettle of worms for him to push other girls around. Catie could stand up for herself, but it was clear Beth wasn't capable of doing that. Catie would just have to do it for her.

Beth's protests died on her lips as Catie pulled her off to the small group gathered in the jungle. Jack stood before a group of boys and a few girls Catie must have recruited earlier. She recognized Taylor from the choir, but there was one other girl she didn't know. Jack did not seem happy about the female additions, judging by the snarl on his face, but he didn't comment on them as he spoke to the group as a whole.

"There's more of us than I would have liked," he started, flicking a glance in the girl's direction, "So we've gotta make sure to be extra quiet so we don't scare off the pigs. We'll start off heading in the direction I saw the piglet. There's bound to be more of them. But, before we go, I just want to let you girls know that just because I'm letting you come--"

"_Letting_ us come?" Catie echoed angrily.

"Yes, _letting_ you," Jack repeated. "Now, as I was saying… Just because I'm letting you come doesn't mean you get to slack off. If any of you start complaining about the dirt of the blood and gore, then you can' t come with us anymore? Get it?"

Beth, Taylor, and the other girl looked nervous about this, but Catie stood strong. "Yeah, yeah, we get it. Now, are we gonna catch ourselves a piggy or what?"

Jacked narrowed his eyes at her. "Okay. Let's go."

The walk through the jungle was tiring and hot. It felt to Beth like she was walking through Hell. She was drenched in sweat and her clothes stuck to her. She wished she could be as fearless as Catie to take off her clothes, but she couldn't do something so inappropriate. The other girls weren't doing so well either, but Catie strode on with confidence in the lead beside Jack. Beth wasn't about to give up now, so she tried to shake off her exhaustion and move on.

They spied pig droppings about halfway up the mountain, which Roger joyfully picked up and chucked at Catie's face. She'd shrieked and banged her spear on his head, and they'd looked like they were about to have a full on brawl on the forest floor before Jack stepped in saying they would scare off the pig.

So the rest of the walk was spent in tense silence until Jack held out an arm, halting the group. A soft tapping could be heard in the distance, which Beth supposed where hoofs against the forest floor. Jack grinned fiendishly at the sound, and quickened his step.

They found a boar scurrying along rather sluggishly. It didn't seem to notice them, which they could have used to their advantage, but once they saw the boar, the excitement of the chase went into most of them, and Maurice couldn't stop himself from screaming, "It's there! It's there!"

With a roar the boys and Catie sprinted after it, with the three girls taking up the back. Upon seeing the crazed faces of the children, the boar ran away as fast as it could through the forest.

"After him!" Jack yelled feverishly, an almost mad glint in his eye. They pelted after the pig like barbarians. Once they got closer, Robert threw his spear at it, but missed by a mile. Roger thrust his own spear at the boar's backside, but only managed to scrape it a few times before it made a fast turn and left them all in the dust. Catie, filled with desperation and a thirst to prove herself, launched herself at the pig, but fell flat on her face. Jack tripped over her fallen form, and by the time he stood, the pig was long gone.

Beth found herself filled with a strange relief, glad they had been unsuccessful. She wasn't sure she'd be able to handle the blood. She turned to look at the girls beside her and found the girl she did not know the name of was as white as a ghost.

Jack was not pleased with these results one bit.

"Pathetic..." he muttered, as Catie struggled to stand and Robert raced after his spear. They definitely had some work to do.

**Author's Note:**Well, what did you think? Sorry it was so long. This chapter is sort of a bridge between the previous one and the next one. Kinda. lol Thanks for reading! Please review!


	6. Flames of Hatred

**Author's Note: **Sorry this chapter came out sort of late! This chapter is going to be two parts, so it's kinda too chapters, but it was meant to be one... if that makes any sense. lol The whole thing that was meant to be one chapter is over 6,000 words though, so I had to split it in two. The two chapters go hand in hand though. Once more, I'd like to thank the awesome reviewers! Reading them just makes my day! Keep them coming! I really appreciate each and every one of them!

Tue_sdayNovember: _Thank you! I'm glad you like the title. I think it works too. I'm glad you're enjoying reading it, cause I'm having a blast writing it! :)

_SugarTea:_Oh my goodness. Thank you for the epic review! It made me feel really, really happy! I'm glad you think the characters are in character, because that is one of the things I really strive to do. I'm glad you like the girls. You always want your Oc characters to be liked! Yes, Kimmy having glasses will play a part, and Beth will have a large role later on...

_Madeleine421:_Thanks! Yeah, that chapter was a bit slow, but I think this two parter is a lot more exciting, if I do say so myself. lol I'm glad you like Ralph and Diana, which means you should really like this chapter. ;)

_Lycan Lover:_lol yeah, Catie is wicked annoying, but she's really fun to write. Plus, it's just nice to have someone to pick on Jack, like you said. Thanks for reviewing!

_HermioneLennon: _There will certainly be more of Beth later on. Not so much in this chapter, but you can expect to hear more from her later. Thank you for reviewing!

Now, without further ado, here is the story! Oh, but first:

**Warning: **Swears, suggestive themes too. Oh, and some fluff. This _is _romance, after all.

**Disclaimer:** I am not William Golding, therefore I do not own the rights to Lord of the Flies, although I do have a nice new copy of the book! We had to give them back to our teacher, but I loved the book so much I wanted to own my own copy.

* * *

Simon watched with glassy eyes as the fire in front of him slowly died. He nudged a stick with his foot to keep it going and found he was getting very sleepy. When was his shift over? It felt like he'd been sitting here for days.

Jack had taken it upon himself and the choir to keep the fire going, but why would he make a promise he couldn't keep? Most of the choir were off hunting the majority of the time, and even the ones that weren't skipped out on shifts, preferring to spend their time swimming in the lagoon or playing around in the jungle. Sometimes it felt like only a quarter of the survivors were actually doing any of the real work.

Simon found himself beginning to day dream. He fancied he'd take a walk in the jungle after his shift was over, maybe go to that clearing he'd found earlier; the one with the butterflies and flowers. It was so peaceful there. Simon was so lost in his thoughts that he nearly jumped out of his skin when someone approached him.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

Simon turned and saw Alicia coming towards him, her light brown hair tied back with a strip of material from her skirt. They'd been here nearly a week already, so everyone's clothes were getting torn. Most found it easier to just strip of most of them completely, but not Alicia. She still wore the tattered remains of her school uniform.

"It's my shift isn't it?" Simon asked.

Alicia shook her head and came to sit beside him on the log. "No. Roger's supposed to be here…"

Simon sighed, "He's probably off hunting with Jack again. That's all they ever do."

"And they haven't even caught anything yet," Alicia added.

"Yeah." Simon rested his head on his knees and stared into the fire. He understood the importance of meat, but it would be nice if someone else could watch the fire for a change. Alicia leaned back and glanced at Simon briefly before returning her own gaze to the fire. They were silent for a moment, before Alicia finally spoke.

"Do you ever think we'll leave this place?" she asked softly.

Simon did not hesitate in his response. "I know we'll make it home."

"You gonna pull a boat out of your hat?" Alicia joked, reaching over and pulling off Simon's ragged hat that designated him as one of the choir.

Simon grinned and shook his head so his inky black locks fell into his eyes. He reached over to take the hat back, but Alicia had already placed it on her head. "How do you know then?"

"I just… I have a feeling, that's all," he said.

They sat in silence again, but it wasn't awkward, it was comfortable and welcome. Simon turned to look at Alicia briefly. He never minded her company. Sometimes, the others could get on his nerves a bit, with their 'no work, all play' attitude, but Alicia was different. She helped out and he'd never heard her say a mean thing once. She was pretty too, he noticed, with the reflection of the fire dancing in her chocolate brown eyes and, if he looked hard enough, he could see the light brown freckles scattered across her nose. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, but a few strands were loose. Simon had the strangest urge to reach out and place them behind her ear.

"What are you looking at?" Alicia asked suddenly, interrupting his observations. A slight blush was present on her cheeks.

Simon turned bright red. How long had he been staring? He was just about to answer with a pitiful 'nothing' when a lone butterfly flew over and landed on top of Simon's hat that was still placed on Alicia's head. He quickly changed his words, "There's a butterfly. I guess the fire didn't kill everything after all," Simon said happily. He reached over and took the hat off Alicia's head gingerly, not wanting to frighten the tiny creature off. "See?"

Alicia let out a soft 'oh' when she saw it. "It's so pretty," she said, and it was. The tiny insect stayed perched on the hat even when Simon moved it. It was fragile and delicate. Just touching it might cause it to break. It's wings were blue with white spots and it had long antennae.

"See? It's a sign," Simon said.

"What are you talking about?"

"It means we'll make it out all right," Simon said, smiling at his companion.

"I hope you're right Simon," Alicia said as the butterfly took flight once more. The two watched as it fluttered off down the mountain and into the darkness. Simon noticed Alicia's troubled look, and he knew she was still doubting their rescue.

"You know," Simon began, wanting to get her mind off of the situation, "There's a whole clearing in the jungle full of those butterflies."

Alicia brightened instantly. She turned toward him with a smile growing on her face. "There is?"

"Yeah. I can show you later, if you want."

"Let's go!" Alicia said enthusiastically. She rose and grabbed Simon's hand to pull him up.

"What? Now?"

"Yeah!"

"But. . . What about the fire?" Simon asked, gesturing helplessly towards the dying flame. "We can't leave. Ralph will be really mad." Simon knew how important the fire was to Ralph, as it should be to everyone else as well. The fire was their only chance of getting off the island, and without it burning, there was no chance of a ship coming for them.

Alicia bit her lip and cast the fire a glance, indecisive. She hesitated, but then seemed to come to a conclusion. "Well, Roger's supposed to be watching it anyway. And what are the chances of a boat coming the_ one_ time we're away?" She reasoned.

Simon supposed she had a point, but still, Ralph would be furious. . . "I don't know. . ."

Alicia took a step towards him so they were level with one another. Simon was only a couple of inches taller. "You deserve a break Simon. Tons of people have skipped out on shifts. It's Roger's turn anyway. Come on, show me the clearing!"

It wasn't so much the way she said it as the look on her face. She was looking at him with a face that rivaled that of his puppy back home. Her chocolate eyes were pleading with him, rosy lips in a pout. Everything about her expression compelled him to give in.

He caved. "Just for a little while, okay?"

Alicia grinned and then hugged him unexpectedly. Simon felt a blush rise to his cheeks as her warm body pressed against his. It only lasted a second, because the moment after she'd hugged him Alicia realized what she'd done and quickly pulled away, embarrassed.

Simon smiled sheepishly and then turned to go, "Come on. It's this way."

* * *

"That's it. You can't come anymore! You're messing up the whole operation!"

"That's bull and you know it! Your yelling scared the thing off!"

"Me? The pig heard you a mile away!"

"Na-uh! You're just pissed because I got there before you. You can't stand to have a girl beat you at anything."

"I don't care who gets to it first as long as we get some meat!"

Their yelling fell on deaf ears. This constant fighting had been going on between Jack and Catie ever since the first day of hunting, which had been nearly a week ago. Some of the hunters had even left the group because of it. It was really getting ridiculous.

Samneric, growing tired of the fighting, wandered away from the group and to the river nearby, eager for a drink.

"Never shuts up--"

"Maybe we should of stayed back with Ralph--"

"But hunting's better than fire watch!"

"Maybe--"

"Never shuts up. . ."

The brothers spoke in incomplete sentences all the time, but they understood each other easily enough. They were tired of the fighting just as the other boys and few girls were, and they needed a break. Once they reached the stream Sam cupped his hands in the water and splashed some on his twin. Eric laughed and splashed back. Soon a large splash fight had begun between the twins. They charged into the water to cool off and doused one another in water, but eventually they grew tired of this game, so Eric decided to add a new element to their fun.

He reached down and scooped up a handful of red, clay like mud and flung it at this twin. Sam laughed in delight and ducked, so the mud hit the tree directly behind them. He grabbed some more mud off the bank and launched it at Eric. Within minutes, the mud covered them both completely, and they'd completely forgotten about the hunt.

The hunters were still arguing, so no one noticed Sam and Eric's absence. When the twins came back no one would have noticed they'd even been gone if not for the mud on their faces they hadn't bothered to remove.

"Where have you two been?" Bill asked curiously.

"We wanted--"

"Get away from the fighting so we--"

"Went to get a drink," The finished together.

"What's that on your face?" Jack asked, distracted from the irksome Catie as the dark mud on the twins' faces gave him an idea.

"Clay--"

"From the river--"

A smile grew on Jack's face and he demanded, "Take us to the river."

* * *

"Come on Piggy! Why don't you come in?"

"I can't on account of my asthma!"

"Sucks to your ass-mar!"

Laughter filled the lagoon as Ralph, Diana, Kimmy, and several littluns splashed about. Ralph splashed water onto Piggy, which resulted in the stout boy crying out and rushing to the opposite end of the pool. Ralph then changed his target to the girls, and splashed water at them instead.

"Ralph!" Diana yelled, pretending to be outraged. She kicked the water hard, sending a wave of water back at him.

Kimmy shrieked about her glasses getting wet and swam over to Piggy. Piggy recoiled in terror, thinking she meant to splash him like Ralph had, but instead she grabbed his hand to pull him closer and placed her glasses in his pudgy hand, "Hold 'em for me will you?"

Piggy nodded and watched as Kimmy swam up behind Ralph and shoved his head under the water for a moment. Diana laughed and swam closer to the pair. Ralph flailed his arms around and splashed at the girls. Laughing hysterically, the three continued to splash each other, Piggy watching with a envious look on his face, wishing he could join in on the fun.

When the three had finished with their game, Diana swam to the edge of the lagoon and got out to lay on her back, staring up at the sky. Her dark brown hair, further darkened by the water, appeared black as it lay out behind her. She was skinner then she'd been when she'd first arrived, as they all were, but she still possessed the womanly curves most of the other girls had yet to develop.

Ralph swam over to the edge beside her, admiring her figure and watching as the water droplets glistened on her skin. He liked swimming with her, because it was one of the rare occasions she'd take off the majority of her clothes. She'd taken off her school skirt, but still wore a white t-shirt that clung to her skin from the water. He could see her black bra under it, and he almost felt like he should look away, before he remembered that there were no adults here to tell him off for it. So Ralph looked. He let his eyes trail over her curves while Diana was distracted by the sky before hastily glancing away when she turned towards him.

"You know, this place would be a good location for a resort," she said, propping herself up on her elbow so she faced him and Kimmy, who was still swimming in the water.

"Yeah," Ralph agreed. "We ought to build one once we get rescued."

"We'd make millions!" Diana laughed. It was nice to think of life after the island, it made them have hope.

"But. . .what about the beastie in the forest?" Kimmy piped up from behind him.

"There is no beast!" Ralph exclaimed, Piggy echoing him from across the way. At the mention of the beast Diana's expression had changed into a more worried one, so Ralph felt he needed to reassure her, "I've told you guys a hundred times! There isn't a beast! We've already looked."

"But Jessica told me she saw it, while she was in the forest gathering fruit. . ." Kimmy started. Diana's expression worsened. Ralph was indignant.

"Shut up!" he said, then he kicked back so a spray of water hit Kimmy in the face. Kimmy sputtered and splashed water at Ralph's back.

"I'm just repeating what I've heard! Besides she's not the only one, Samneric. . ."

Before she got a chance to finish her sentence Ralph had turned around and flashed her such a menacing glare that Kimmy clamped her mouth shut immediately as another spray of water came at her from Ralph.

"Shut up! There isn't a beast! Right, Piggy?"

Piggy, feeling encouraged at Ralph having addressed him directly, replied immediately with confidence. "Of course not. There's no logic to support it! Think about it. It wouldn't make any sense."

"Exactly," Ralph concluded.

Kimmy shrugged, "Whatever you say."

Ralph turned back to Diana and frowned, seeing she still looked troubled. No, she looked more than troubled. She looked hypnotized by something. "Diana, what--"

"Smoke," she whispered, as if in a daze. Then she scrambled up and starting shouting, "Smoke! Smoke!"

Piggy rubbed his glasses on his shorts and placed them back on his head, looking out to the horizon. Kimmy squinted out to sea, but Ralph saw it next. "Smoke. A boat! A boat! They've come to rescue us!"

"Where?" Kimmy asked. She swam over to Piggy and grabbed her glasses, "I don't see anything!"

"Out there! In the ocean!" Piggy exclaimed, pointing out to sea. "I see it! Our smoke. Is it--"

They turned toward the mountain but could see nothing. No smoke, which meant there was no fire, which meant. . .

"I'm going to KILL Jack!" Ralph yelled, before bolting into the forest.

"Ralph, wait up!" Cried Diana, struggling to tug up her shorts. In the end she gave up and kicked them to the ground. Then she ran after Ralph, trying to catch up. Kimmy shoved on her glasses and sprinted after them.

"Wait up!" Piggy huffed, "Ralph, please!"

But Ralph did not wait up, and neither did the girls. "Hurry up!" Kimmy called from up ahead. They sprinted through the jungle faster than ever before, the trees slapping at them. Ralph felt blood cascade down his body, but he didn't stop running until he reached the top of the mountain. Diana appeared behind him a moment later, breathing heavily.

When they reached the top of the mountain, three things became clear.

One, the fire was out. Two, the watchers had gone, and three, Jack Merridew was dead meat.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So I have to ask you guys how I did writing from the boys' points of views. It's pretty easy for me to do Jack or Ralph, but I'm not to sure about Simon. What did you guys think? Part two should be up shortly!


	7. Flames of Desire

**Author's Note: **Okay, here's part two. Enjoy. :)

**Warnings:** This is the first chapter that really earns it's T rating. ;) Swears/Violence/Suggestive Themes

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Lord of the Flies. I do however, own my OC characters, but unfortunately I do not own the boys. :C

* * *

Alicia sat surrounded by absolute beauty.

Simon's secret place was the most serene place on the island, and Alicia never wanted to leave. She and Simon sat on a fallen log in the middle of the clearing, watching as butterflies swirled around them and birds flew overhead. Flowers were abundant here and the trees formed a canopy above them

Alicia basked in the warmth of the place. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She smelled flowers and sunshine and fruits. It was a wonderful smell.

"How did you find this place?" she asked Simon, turning to him with a huge grin on her face.

Simon smiled back and picked at the bark on the tree nervously, his hand close to hers, "I just went for a walk. Sometimes I like to get away and be alone. To think."

Alicia mistook his words. "Oh, I'm sorry, was this your place? Am I invading?" She felt bad. She'd insisted they come here, but what if she was invading his space?

"No, no!" Simon shook his head. "I wanted to show you it." The words were said with a smile and he met her gaze shyly before looking away again.

"Well thanks for showing me. It'll be our secret okay? I won't tell anybody."

"Okay." There was silence for a moment. Simon wanted to say something, but he didn't know what.

Alicia saved him, "This place reminds me of home."

"How come?"

"I used to live by a forest. Whenever my parents fought, I'd leave and go into the forest. There was this place just like this inside, with a little stream, birds, everything. I used to sit there and daydream. . ." she trailed off, lost in the memories of home.

"You'll get back all right," Simon said.

Alicia nodded and smiled at him gratefully. "What was your home like?"

"It was quiet. We lived far away from the town, sort of in the middle of nowhere. I used to go exploring with my brother. We collected bugs and put them in a tank. I wonder if he's all right," He said, finding it nice that she'd asked. No one really bothered to ask him about himself.

"You'll get back to see him again," she said.

"Yeah," Simon agreed.

". . .Sometimes, sometimes I wonder though, what if we never make it home? What if we have to live the rest of our lives here?" Alicia worried aloud.

Simon thought about this possibility before he replied, "Would it really be so bad?"

And Alicia, in this present moment, when she looked around the clearing, decided it wouldn't be so bad, as long as she had this place, and Simon, by her side.

* * *

"They let the_ fucking_ fire go out," Ralph growled. Piggy gasped as his vulgar language, but the others didn't flinch. This was a serious crime, and dropping the f-bomb had little impact on them given the seriousness of the situation.

"They screwed up," Diana agreed, watching with dismal eyes as the tiny puff of smoke on the horizon disappeared.

Piggy, Kimmy and the few others who followed them remained silent, watching as Ralph transformed from their calm, collected leader into a malevolent beast. Kimmy knelt down to restart the fire with her glasses, but Piggy stopped her. "No use now," he said miserably.

Then there was silence that dragged on, but got interrupted by a soft chanting in the distance that seemed to grow louder and louder with each passing second. There was no need to ask what it was, because the group could already see a procession heading towards them.

Ralph turned from the horizon and turned to look at them. He seemed to have so much anger welled inside him that even Diana didn't dare speak.

As the group came closer it became clear who they were. Jack was in the lead, smears of red, white, and black paint spread across his face. He was smiling, for once, with an equally ecstatic Catie strutting proudly beside him. She, too, was covered in paint, as were the rest of them, even tiny Beth and Samneric. A large pig swung between the twins, blood covering it.

A song could be heard coming from them. It was a victory chant: _"Kill the pig! Cut her throat! Spill her blood!_

Ralph did not smile as they neared. In fact, he did not seem even the least bit excited that they'd caught a pig. He didn't run out to greet them, or join in with their sick song. He stood his ground with a sneer on his face that didn't change even when Jack ran up to him to tell him the news he already knew:

"Look! We've killed a pig--we stole up on it--we got in a circle--"

Everyone was eager to tell the tale.

"We sneaked up--"

"Got it surrounded--"

"Spilled her blood--"

"I jumped on it," Catie said proudly. She seemed to stand with even more confidence than usual. "Wrestled it to the ground."

For once, Jack did not seem to mind that she'd interrupted. "Yeah, that was bloody brilliant." The comment was addressed to her, and for a moment everyone was silent as the shock of Jack Merridew giving Catie a compliment sank in. But then the buzz started again, and the story continued.

"You should have seen it Ralph--"

"All the blood--"

"I cut its throat--"

Ralph had had enough. "You let the fire go out." The words were said quietly, but his tone of voice made them terrifying. Jack didn't notice.

"We can light it again. You should have been there Ralph. We had a smashing time."

"Who was supposed to be watching it?" Ralph asked, ignoring Jack.

The hunters found their voice lost for a moment. What was wrong with Ralph? Why wasn't he celebrating?

"I was, but Simon stepped in for me," Roger drawled. "What's the big deal? We've got you meat, didn't we?"

Ralph glared daggers at him. He'd had enough. He stepped up to Roger so fast it looked like he hadn't moved and punched the boy in the face. Hard.

"Ralph!" Diana and Piggy shouted.

Roger gave a hoarse cry and then pushed Ralph to the ground. "What the hell is your problem?"

"There was a ship!" Ralph yelled. He scrambled up again and faced the hunters angrily. Venom was laced throughout his tone. "We might have gone home! There was a ship and we missed it because all you care about is hunting! You don't even care about shelters or the signal fire or anything! You let out the fire! This is all your _fault_!" The last word was spat right in Jack's face.

Jack looked uneasy. He tried to defend himself, "We needed everyone for the hunt. There'll be another ship. We needed meat." These words were probably the worst thing he might of said.

"You said you'd keep the smoke going. It was your responsibility," Piggy shouted bravely.

Jack opened his mouth to respond, but Catie beat him too it, "You shut up, Fatty! Be grateful we got you meat!" Violence accompanied her words and she smacked Piggy upside the head. His glasses fell and one lens shattered.

"My specs!" Piggy cried. He floundered around on the forest floor for them, but could hardly see anything at all. When Kimmy finally recovered them, one glass was shattered. Piggy whimpered as he put them on his head once more. "Now I only got one eye! Just you wait. . ."

It was meant as a threat, but to Jack it sounded more like a joke. He and the other hunters laughed in amusement.

This was not a laughing matter, and the fact that Jack and his hunters were making a big joke of it compelled Diana to act. She stepped forward and yelled at Jack and Catie violently, "Stop it! We could have gone home! We could have gone home!" The emotion in her voice spilled over into her eyes so she was crying, but they were angry tears this time. "This is all _your_ _bloody fault_!" She shoved Jack's chest so he stumbled backwards slightly.

Jack, already shaking with rage, slapped Diana across the face. His nails were long and left a deep scratch. Lines of blood appeared and rolled down her cheek. How dare she yell at him like that? He should be getting praised for his gift, not shouted at! "Shut up. We got you meat. I'm so--"

Ralph didn't give him a chance to finish. "You don't touch her Jack Merridew," these words were said with such hate it was clear Ralph was more upset about Jack having hit Diana than even the fire. His body shook with rage and his fists were clenched so hard he drew blood, "You and your hunting! You and your blood! You're lucky I don't kick you out of camp for this!"

Jack laughed bitterly and stabbed his knife into the nearest tree. He looked absolutely terrifying. He took deep, harsh breaths before turning back to them. "Look, I'm sorry about the fire," he said. The words sounded like they had taken a lot of effort on his part. It was not in Jack Merridew's nature to apologize. "There. I--" he closed his eyes and looked like he was suffering, "I apologize." He finished, still sounding insincere despite his efforts.

Ralph couldn't deal with their arrogance and stupidity. He needed to get away. "Fine," Ralph said simply. "Light the fire." Then he grabbed Diana's hand and pulled her away from the others and off into the jungle.

* * *

"Ralph, where are we going?" Diana asked, stumbling over the uneven ground in her haste to keep up with Ralph. He was pissed, and she was too, but when the smell of roasting pig hit her nostrils she nearly demanded they turn around and he bring her back to the food.

"We've gotta clean your face," Ralph said simply. He did not turn around.

"My face. . .?" Only when Diana lifted her hand to her cheek and felt the wetness did she remember that she was bleeding from Jack's slap. Only when she realized it did the cut start to sting.

"We've gotta clean it," Ralph repeated from up ahead. She quickened her step so she walked by his side.

"What about the mea--?"

"We'll get some later."

His words were spoken in such a tone that told Diana there was no changing his mind. She followed him reluctantly through the jungle, the smell of cooked pig wafting by her nostrils, beckoning her back.

Once they reached a stream the smell of the meat had subsided mostly, so Diana obediently sat down beside Ralph.

Without speaking, Ralph tore off a large piece of what remained of his tattered shorts and dipped it in the water. "I can't believe he did this," he muttered, soaking the cloth in the water until it was soaked thoroughly.

Diana didn't reply but let out a small gasp when Ralph pressed the cool fabric to her cheek.

"Does it hurt?" He asked, his earlier look of animosity gone and replaced by one of deep concern.

"Only a little," Diana lied.

She watched as Ralph intently cleaned her cut. His long blonde bangs fell into his blue eyes and she found it astonishing that he could see at all. His lips were downturned in a frown of worry and he looked so much older than he had when they'd first arrived. Being this close to him made her whole body tingle pleasantly, but maybe that was just from the blood loss.

With his other hand Ralph gently moved her dark hair out of the way so he could see her scratch better, but when his hand brushed her face Diana knew that the tingles she felt had little to do with the cut and all to do with Ralph's touch. It was electrifying. She'd never felt anything like it in her life. His gentle touch made Diana's body tingle and she found herself sad when he let go.

"I'm going to kill him," Ralph said fiercely as he dipped the fabric in the water again.

"It's not that bad, Ralph," Diana said, looking at her reflection in the water.

"I don't care!" Ralph shouted suddenly. "He shouldn't of hit you. He shouldn't of went hunting. I don't care about the pig. We should have gotten on that rescue boat."

Diana sighed, but she agreed with his every word. She reached over and placed her hand on his forearm. Ralph glanced sharply away from the water to look at her.

"We'll get him back for it. You're in charge. We ought to have a meeting. Kick everybody into shape," she said, her hand still resting on his arm.

"I don't know if anyone will listen to me," Ralph said sadly, full of doubt.

"Of course they will! You're there leader. What you say goes."

Ralph forced himself to smile, "I guess, but everybody thinks Jack's the big hero now cause he got them meat."

"That's not true. They know how important rescue is," Diana tried to assure him.

"Maybe," Ralph said. He raised the rag out of the water again and motioned for her to turn her face.

Diana obeyed and Ralph placed the cool material against her cheek once more. He gently rubbed the remaining dirt fibers out of the cut and then tossed the rag aside. He raised his hand to her face again and cupped her cheek, pretending to examine her scratch while really examining her beauty. "There, it's clean" he said.

Diana felt her heart skip a beat as he caressed her cheek gently. His warm breath skimmed across her face and she leaned in closer. Her hand was still resting on his forearm and she ran it up to his shoulder shyly. "Thanks," she said softly. Then, possessed by a spirit of someone far more daring then her, leaned in closer and pressed her lips to his. It, in a way, was meant as a thank you kiss, but it turned into so much more.

When Ralph felt Diana's soft lips against his own, his whole body felt like it had been engulfed in a warm, pleasurable fire. He found himself subconsciously pulling her face closer to his so her lips were pressed harder against his own.

The kiss started gentle at first, but soon Ralph had pulled Diana into his arms and he was kissing her harder. He forgot the world while he was kissing her. He forgot all about Jack and the fire and the meat. All he thought about was Diana, her lips, her warmth, and her luscious body pressed against his own. She felt soft and warm. Perfect.

The sensations in his body grew stronger when Diana pressed herself fully against him, so her breasts were pressed firmly against his chest and her hands were grasping his shoulders tightly. She opened her mouth slightly and a whole new bombardment of feeling hit him when her tongue brushed lightly against his.

Diana moaned softly into his mouth, taking comfort in his strength and warmth. She felt safe with Ralph. She felt protected. She wanted to get closer, to feel more of him. They kissed deeply, the kiss acting as a release from reality. They could forget the troubles of the island when they were in each other's arms and that warm, wonderful feeling that came with kissing erased all their rational thought.

But the way they were kissing was far from innocent. It was hungry and filled with forbidden want. A want that grew and caused them both to cling to the other tighter. In this moment Ralph felt a hundred times more savage than Jack because of the way he was kissing her. Because of the way Diana ran her hands down his chest. Because of the way Ralph brought his hand up and cupped her breast. Because of the way Diana whispered his name and moaned softly into his mouth. He felt like an animal. A savage.

A crack in the woods was the only reason they broke apart. The only reason Ralph stopped his wandering hands and Diana pulled her lips away from his. That interruption stopped them from crossing the line into something more adult, something frowned upon by the outside world amongst kids so young, something they both wanted, but were not ready for. Ralph and Diana held each other tightly, silent except for their breathing.

"What was that?" Diana breathed. An image of a clawed beast flashed through her mind, but she dismissed it quickly. It was a foolish thought.

"Who's there?" Ralph called. There was no answer, but then some bushes shook and a figure appeared in the coming darkness.

Ralph tensed as it came closer, but once he saw who it was he relaxed. "Simon," he breathed.

Simon and Alicia stepped out of the bushes, both looking nervously back and forth between Ralph and Diana.

Diana shrugged out of Ralph's arms and suddenly felt embarrassed. What had she been doing? She'd been kissing Ralph madly, that's what! It was like her brain had wandered away during the kiss and had only just decided to come back. She shouldn't have acted like that! Her mother would kill her. . .But her mother was not here, and everything inside Diana had been shouting at her to keep kissing him. To not stop. She felt strange when Simon and Alicia appeared, like she'd been caught doing something forbidden.

Ralph, still breathless from the kiss, spoke first.

"What are you doing here?"

Simon looked like he'd been hit over the head with something. He didn't answer.

"We just went for a walk," Alicia supplied, nervously examining her fingers. "What are you doing here?"

Ralph's eyes narrowed menacingly as he remembered the previous events. "Jack hit Diana in the face. I had to clean her cut."

"What!?"

"Yeah, there was a ship, but no signal fire. Jack and the others let it go out. They caught a pig, but that hardly makes up for it."

"But why'd he hit her?"

"Because he's an arse, that's why," Ralph said simply. He then turned to Simon accusingly. "Roger said you were supposed to be watching the fire."

Simon went beet red and immediately broke into apologizes, "Ralph, I'm really sorry. I was supposed to be watching the fire, but. . ." he trailed off, having no good excuse for not following through with his job.

Alicia cut in, her defense for Simon overriding her quiet nature, "Roger was supposed to be watching it! Simon had been up there for ages! He deserved a break!"

Ralph didn't reply, but still looked angry. Diana cut in, "Let's just go back to camp. Maybe Piggy left us some pig."

The four walked in silence for a time, all lost in their own thoughts. Ralph was trying to get his mind off of the kiss with Diana and back on deciding what to do. He was supposed to be in charge, and it was far past time he put all the rest in their places. They needed to have order, or they would never be rescued.

He was still furious with Jack. Sure, Ralph had started the fighting when he punched Roger, but Jack had no right to hit Diana! You didn't hit girls, and Jack should have done nothing but apologize, but instead he'd fought them, trying to tell them it was better they'd gotten pig than gotten rescued. Well that was bollocks!

"I'm gonna call a meeting," Ralph announced. "I don't care that it's late. We've gotta set things straight."

The others nodded and Diana grasped his hand lightly. Even after what they'd just shared, even her lightest touch still sent a shiver through his body. He shook his head, trying to clear it. He had to concentrate on what he was going to do. He couldn't keep thinking about Diana, but she certainly was a lovely distraction.

He squeezed her hand gently and they stumbled through the darkness together, back towards camp. Back to reality.

**Author's Note:** Well? How was it? Was that too much for T? Was it too out of character do you think? I don't think it was too bad because you know how horny teenagers can get, well I do at least. Cause I am one. lol I told you guys it was gonna get more romantic. Tell me what you guys thought! I'm on vacation this week so hopefully I can get chapters up quickly, assuming I don't catch a terrible case of writer's block. Thanks for reading!


	8. The Beast Wants To Get In Your Pants

Author's Note: Sorry for the mega delay! I had a hard time writing this chapter for some reason. I'm not sure how good it is, tell me if my writing seems off. Plus, when I uploaded it to fanfiction I had some trouble and accediently deleted the story by mistake so I had to redo all my edits! (I know, I'm secretly a blonde) lol Not to offend if any of you are blondies of course! Thank you for reviewing again! They really do help me write. When I was stuck writing, I read a review and then I got a burst of muse. So thank you for your comments guys!

dancelvr234: Thanks! Yeah, I love Jack/Oc, they're always so intense! I wanted to include Ralph and Simon too though, cause I love them. :)

TuesdayNovember: Good! I was worried. I don't think it was too much for T either, but I do have to admit it was leaning towards M. Thank you for reviewing~

HermioneLennon: Thanks so much! I'm glad you think Ralph/Diana were in character. I was worried the romance might seem occ to some.

Lycan Lover: Thank you! There will be more pairs in the future. :)

Madeline421: LOL Ralph's not a perv! He's just a. . . extremely horny teenage boy lol You're comments made me laugh. You're right though, Ralph was more badass than he usually is. haha

SugarTea: Oh wow another long review! That makes me happy. Yes, Ralph and Diana will definetly be more careful next time. lol I'm glad you think it was in character though. Yeah, I couldn't help myself from giving Simon a sweet girl to accompany him. Simon's like my favortie.

Warning: This chapter is actually kind of safe-ish. Well, compared to the last chapter at least, wait never mind! lol Well, it _mentions_ things, but nothing actually _happens_, if you catch my drift.

Disclaimer: Unfortunatly I do not have the rights to this wonderful book!

* * *

The smell of victory was in the air, and it smelled like cooked pig.

Catie stood beside Jack in front of the fire, watching with eager, hungry eyes as the flames licked the pink, delicate flesh of the pig. The other hunters surrounded them, holding themselves with pride and confidence, eyes shining with their victory. Most were covered in blood. The other boys and girls stood off to the side, uneasy. Their leader had stormed off into the jungle with Diana, and they were unsure what to do.

Catie felt Jack's eyes on her and she turned to face him. For once he looked at her with appreciation rather than annoyance. She knew he was both surprised and proud of her for how she'd handled herself today, and the fact that he was proud of her pleased her more than it should.

She had really done a good job. The memory of the kill was still fresh in her mind. They snuck up on the pig, all being impossibly quiet. Then she'd jumped on it, holding it down while the others dug their spears into its flesh. Even Beth, Taylor, and Hanna had helped out, although Catie knew that Jack was the most proud of her.

"I proved you wrong didn't I?" Catie ventured, a smirk on her face. "You thought girls couldn't hunt."

Jack's smile faltered, but only slightly, and then he was smirking again, "Yeah, you did all right today. We'll see how you do next time."

Catie rolled her eyes and hit his arm, "I made you eat your words, Jack Merridew."

Jack actually smiled, "Yeah, yeah."

"It's ready!" Robert suddenly called. They pulled the pig off the fire and Jack stepped up to it, knife in hand. He cut off a large chunk and looked around at the group with confidence, "I said I'd get you meat, and now I have. We're going to eat, and have fun. Forget about Ralph for now. It's his own fault he ran off. Now eat, all of you!"

His words were spoken with authority and all felt inclined to obey. Jack took the piece he'd been holding and pressed it to his lips. It was half raw and quite disgusting, but to Jack and the others, it was a five star meal. The survivors gnawed at the meat like hungry wolves. Though most were sad about not being rescued, they chose to put that thought to the back of their minds as they enjoyed the meal. In fact, Jack chose to ignore that fact all together. It was his fault for letting the fire go out, but Jack didn't like being the one at fault, so it was just easier to ignore the situation.

Piggy sat beside Kimmy in indecision. Part of him wanted to go after Ralph, because it felt wrong to eat when Ralph did not. Jack should be punished for what he'd done, neglecting the fire like that, and then Catie had broken Piggy's specs! He could hardly see now! Part of him wanted to get up and march away from the others in protest, but the other part, the part that was controlled by his stomach, wanted to stay and gorge himself on the meat.

He glanced at Kimmy, who currently was eating the meat ravenously with all the others. She didn't seem to have a problem eating without Ralph, so Piggy decided he shouldn't either. He reached for a piece with all the others and began to munch.

Jack glanced at him with a fierce glare on his face, which caused Piggy to recoil. "Be grateful for that meat, Piggy, because you don't deserve it."

There was a murmur of agreement from most of the hunters, and the meat in Piggy's hand shook slightly, but somehow the boy never knew just when to keep his mouth shut. "I deserve it just as much as Kimmy and the others who didn't hunt do."

Jack, finding it much too hard to resist to pick on Piggy, replied, "Why aren't you running after Ralph? I thought you were his lapdog."

Piggy flushed. "I. . ."

Kimmy suddenly spoke up, surprising everyone, but perhaps Piggy the most. No one ever stood up for him.

"Quit picking on him, Jack. He didn't do anything to you," she said daringly.

Jack looked taken aback for a moment, but quickly regained his bearings. "Who are you? His girlfriend?"

Laughter arose at this, and Kimmy blushed deep red. "Of course not. You just always pick on him for no reason, that's all."

Jack knew this was true of course, but everyone picked on Piggy for no reason. It was a tacit fact. They didn't have a good reason to, but Piggy was fat and loud and so easy to be messed with. One of the girls who hadn't went hunting saved Jack from coming up with something to say.

"Where'd you find the pig?"

Roger pointed to the sea, and then the story of the hunt was retold. Jack jumped in immediately, not wanting his story to be told by someone else. Catie couldn't bear to have her part told either, so the whole story was relayed in a confusing jumble. They'd just gotten to the most exciting part, when Jack had struck the killing blow, when a low, familiar horn noise distracted them. They quieted gradually, and listened as the horn was blown repeatedly again and again.

"Ralph's calling a meeting."

The hunters looked to Jack for instructions, but some were already standing, prepared to march down the mountain.

"We've not finished yet," Jack said, his eyes roving over the few who'd stood.

"Let him wait," Catie added, "He left us."

There was a murmur and nods of agreement, and they continued the story.

* * *

As the days passed, rifts between the survivors began to form. Gone were the days of carefree play and exploring, and now there was fighting and sadness. Many of the littluns had lost the feeling of this whole experience being a wonderful vacation and were crying for their mothers, and the older children didn't have the strength to comfort them.

The meeting Ralph had called after the fire incident did not go as planned. It was meant as a meeting to restore order, but all it had done was tear them apart. There was a power struggle between Jack and Ralph, and with Catie yelling at them from the side the meeting had served little purpose. There was still fear of a beast, and no one but Alicia had listened to Simon's words that the beast was only them.

"Blow the conch, Ralph," Piggy urged one night when him, Ralph, Diana, and Kimmy were laying by the ocean, letting the water gradually sweep them out to sea.

"It's no use, Piggy. It won't do any good," Ralph replied, his tone that of annoyance. They'd had this conversation before, and each time Piggy got the same answer. As if to confirm his words, a group of hunters came shrieking across the beach, painted in crimson, waving their spears in the air and chasing after a group of girls.

"They're batty," Diana said. She sat beside Ralph, hugging her knees to her chest. The others surrounded them, making up their own little group.

"Maybe we could. . ." Piggy started.

"Shut up, Piggy," Ralph said. Piggy clamped his mouth shut and stared out at the ocean.

"We should build a ship," Kimmy suggested. "And just get out of here."

"That'll never work," Ralph said.

Diana sighed and touched Ralph's arm gently, "Stop being so grumpy. We'll get out of here eventually."

Her touch comforting him, as if always did, but Ralph was beginning to doubt her words.

"Where's Alicia and Simon?" Kimmy asked suddenly, laying back in the sand to let the sun caress her body. She was a tiny, frail girl to begin with, and being stuck on a deserted island certainly didn't help that fact. It looked like you could break her in half.

"They're always running off. Probably snogging in the forest," Ralph said bitterly. He was beginning to get annoyed with the lot of them, even two of his best friends on the island.

Diana laughed. "Not those two. They're off on fire watch, probably. I can't keep track of who's supposed to be watching it anymore."

"That's because no one ever does it when they're supposed to!" Ralph said fiercely, banging his fist into the sand. "And there's all this talk of a beastie. Most are too afraid to leave the beach."

Diana shuddered, preferring not to think of the beast at all, seeing as she still had nightmares about a clawed, dark, fanged thing chasing her ever since the littlun had died.

Ralph, realizing he'd brought up the forbidden topic, touched her shoulder gently in comfort. Piggy, who'd been uncharacteristically quiet for the past few moments, spoke up, "We ought to have another meeting, set things straight."

"Shut up, Piggy," Ralph repeated himself, growing quite tired of him.

Kimmy spoke, "We're bored. We're homesick. We're tired. And we're scared. No meeting's gonna solve those problems." She was right, but Piggy still felt order was the only thing they could hope to achieve, and the only way to achieve order was through organized meetings.

Just as he was about to voice this thought, a harsh scream could be heard coming from the jungle and then Catie came rushing out, Jack close behind her.

"GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!"

The group didn't even have to get closer to hear what Catie was saying. She was screaming at the top of her lungs. Jack could be seen laughing hysterically behind her, gaining on her fast as she ran towards Ralph and the others.

"What? It's harmless," Jack said.

"But it's huge, hairy, and gross!" Catie cried. As the pair got closer they could see that Jack was cradling something in his arms, apparently chasing Catie with it.

Once Catie reached Ralph and the others she fell to her butt and skid backwards. Jack came up in front of her and extended his hands towards her face, revealing what he was holding.

A gigantic, hairy, black monstrosity was in his hands. The creature was certainly not normal sized, and the group could certainly see why one would be afraid of it. Although the spider was held tightly in Jack's grip, it wiggled around constantly, it's black body straining to be free. It was roughly the size of two of Piggy's hands put together, which was certainly saying something considering how large Piggy's hands were.

Even stranger than the spider though, was seeing Catie's reaction to it. Never would they have imagined Catie would be afraid of anything, but here she was cowering over a spider. There was no end to Jack's laughter, and hearing it was strange too. Since when did Jack laugh?

Catie screamed as Jack held the spider up to her, so it was merely an inch from her face. Catie started to push his hands away, but fear of actually touching the creature stopped her so she sat, terrified, in front of it.

"Shut up! You're scaring it!" Jack said through bouts of laughter.

"Get it away!" Catie hissed.

Other survivors had begun to come over now to see the cause of all the ruckus. Many were laughing, but some seemed just as frightened of the spider as Catie was.

Jack continued to taunt Catie with the spider by thrusting the bug into her face until Roger wrenched the spider from Jack's hands and actually threw the arachnid at Catie's head. It tangled itself in her hair and judging by the way the creature struggled, it seemed to be just as frightened of Catie as she was of it.

There were howls of laughter from the crowd, and even Ralph, Piggy, Diana, and Kimmy joined in. Catie shook her head back and forth and yanked at her fiery hair, trying desperately to get the vermin out. Jack, overcome by laughter, found he couldn't stand and had fallen on the ground beside Roger, who was laughing so hard there were tears coming down his cheeks.

Eventually Catie managed to get the bug out, and most of the laughter slowly subsided. Catie rose from the ground and stared with absolute malice in her eyes down at Jack, who was still laughing on the ground beside Roger. "You boys are so immature! I--," but she didn't seem to have words harsh enough to convey her fury. Finally she just yet out an ear-piercing screech and stalked away from him in the direction of the jungle.

In time the laughter of the mob subsided, but some of the girls seemed to agree with Catie's claim of the boys' immaturity. One of the hunters, Taylor, who'd become friendly with Catie due to their hunts, headed away from the group and after Catie. Her escape did not go unnoticed however, and Roger caught up with her at the edge of the trees.

"Where are you going?" he asked, his gaze trailing over her as it always did, making her feel uncomfortable. Taylor crossed her arms over her body and looked at her feet. She didn't like Roger, especially after what had happened.

"Nowhere," she replied, avoiding his dark gaze at all costs.

"Then you wanna take a walk through the jungle? We're done hunting for the day."He may say, 'take a walk' but that was not what he meant, and Taylor knew it.

She shuddered and could not believe his words. After what had happened last time how could he possibly think she'd go with him again? "No. Go away, Roger."

Roger laughed cruelly and grabbed her wrist, halting her retreat. "Come on," he said, pulling her towards him slightly.

"I said NO!" Taylor cried, memories of last time beating harshly against her mind. She wrenched her arm out of his grasp and ran through the jungle after Catie. Catie would help her. Catie would know what to do.

* * *

Catie was furious. She stalked through the jungle at a rapid pace. Taylor trailed behind her, begging her to stop.

"Stop it! It's not that big of a deal. . . Please don't make a scene," she pleaded, but her pleas fell on death ears.

Catie had had enough of the boys. Chasing after her with spiders, degrading the girls hunting abilities, teasing and treating them as if they were nothing more than playthings, and this recent incident Taylor had informed her about had sent her over the edge.

Taylor finally caught up to Catie and grabbed her hands, stopping her advance, "Please don't tell the others."

"No, Taylor. This is serious. You don't want him to do it again, do you?"

Taylor shook her head, "Of course not."

"Then we've got to do something. These boys are getting out of control. They think they run the place! I knew this would happen! It's time to end it."

"But Catie--"

It was too late, for they had already reached the platform on which the conch was perched, and Catie had already picked it up. She held it to her lips and blew. The sound of the shell rang out instantly, the sound of an assembly being called.

The littluns ran to the platform instantly, assemblies being a time of entertainment for them, but once they reached the platform they were shocked to find that Ralph was nowhere in sight.

"Where's Ralph?" One brave littlun asked. Brave, because the look on Catie's face was nowhere near friendly. She looked like she was ready to kill something.

"I'm calling this meeting," Catie said. The littluns whispered together, but didn't speak to her further. Soon the others came over and Ralph stared at Catie quizzically.

"What are you doing?" he asked. Jack stood beside him along with the other hunters. Roger glanced at Taylor accusingly, but she quickly lowered her gaze.

Catie glanced at Ralph briefly but then turned and gave Roger a death glare. "I'm calling this meeting," she began, her voice strong, unwavering. She would have made a good leader had she not been so catty, "Because there have been some problems that I want to address."

Jack gave an audible groan at this, and whispered something to Roger, who smirked.

Catie waved the conch in fury. "Do you have the conch, Jack?"

"No."

"Then shut up," Catie said briskly. Jack looked like he was about to retort, but Catie continued, "You boys are acting like animals. Going around, throwing sand at us girls and calling us names. And putting bugs in our hair." The last part had only happened to her, but Catie felt it needed to be brought up anyway. "But what's almost worse than that, is what happened to Taylor. She was assaulted."

There were some gasps from the girls at this, but mostly the remark was greeted with silence. Dozens of pairs of eyes flashed to Taylor, and she shrunk from them, crossing her arms protectively over her body as if they were a shield.

Catie was looking around at them all as if expecting them to react at this comment, and finally a littlun uttered, "By the beast?"

"No, you dummy!" Catie cried, "By Roger!"

Now there was talk. People whispered to each other and all eyes fell on Roger, but he remained silent and expressionless.

"So!" Catie shouted over the hubbub, "He should be kicked out."

Some of girls murmured in agreement, because they had been victims to his taunts before as well. Roger was not only heartless, he was also horny, and there were few girls who hadn't received a suggestive remark or two from him.

"What did he do, exactly?" someone asked.

Catie looked to Taylor, as if expecting her to reply, but Taylor looked too mortified to say anything. She stared at her feet and her face was beet red. Catie supplied an answer, "He touched her in places. . .you're not supposed to."

This vague description was enough for most, but many of the littluns still looked confused. No one bothered to fill them in.

"Is this true, Roger?" Ralph asked.

"No, of course not. All my touches are welcome," Roger said, a hint of a smirk on his face. Many of the boys laughed, especially the hunters who knew him best.

"This isn't funny!" Catie cried. She gripped the conch tightly, but felt like smashing it. She was angrier than Taylor was. She thrust the conch down and placed her hands on her hips as she strut over to Roger with a murderous gaze. "If you didn't do it, then who did?"

Roger was quiet for a moment, but then he whispered in a grave tone. "Perhaps it was the beast."

At this notion there was an uproar at once. The littluns believed him instantly, but the older ones saw through this lie. There was hint of a smirk on Roger's face, proving his words false. Catie yelled around at them all. "Of course he's lying! There is no beast! Roger's the beast! He raped her and now you're all making a joke of it!"

"He didn't rape me. . ." Taylor muttered from behind Catie. "He just. . ."

"It doesn't matter! He hurt you and he should be punished and you're all just laughing about it!"

Her words were true. Many of the boys were laughing and hardly anyone was taking this seriously. There immaturity got the better of them. Jack made a move towards Roger as if he were about to grab him and Roger backed away and began to shout, "The beast wants to get in your pants!" This sentence became a chant among the choir boys, and soon they all began to dance around and shout.

Jack tackled Roger to the ground and pretended to grope him, while the others ran around in a circle stabbing at them with invisible spears. Only when Ralph grabbed the forgotten conch and blew into it loudly did the meeting finally begin to settle down.

He was about to start speaking, but Catie beat him to it. "That's it. I'm leaving. I'm started a girls camp. Only girls allowed. There will be no talk of beasts and we'll all be better off without you boys. Who's coming with me?"

The girls were silent at first, but then most slowly started to group around Catie. Seeing how easily the boys made a joke of Taylor's assault was enough to cause most of them to leave the boys group. They feared for themselves and decided the boys were barbaric. They were fewer in number than the boys, so the boys could take over them if they wanted to, but maybe if they had a powerful girl like Catie as their leader, they'd be safe. The little girls instantly followed the older girls, and soon only Diana and Alicia were left standing with the boys.

"Come on, this is stupid. We have to work together!" Diana said, but no one wanted to listen.

"Go on, we don't need you girls anyway," one of the younger boys shouted. There was laughter at this, but Ralph grabbed Diana's hand tightly to prevent her from going away, not like she'd been planning on leaving in the first place.

"She's right. Stop it! All of you!"

"You're all acting like kids!" Piggy shouted over the commotion.

"Shut up Piggy! Why don't you go off with the girls?" Jack taunted.

"Yeah, Piggy, go with the girls!"

"You look like one anyway!"

"Get out of here!"

The battle of the sexes had begun and it seemed there was no neutral territory. Catie had already started to lead the girls off into the jungle, and now even Alicia, who had given Simon one last sorrowful look, followed.

The boys began to taunt Diana, because she refused to go. Eventually Ralph muttered, "You better go. We'll figure this out tomorrow. They're too crazy now."

Diana looked at him sadly but then nodded. She kissed his lips gently before following Catie into the jungle. The boys who'd seen this interaction between them shouted with glee. "Ralph's the beast! He wants to get in Diana's pants!"

They circled around Ralph who backed away slightly. Jack tackled him to the ground and tore off the tattered remains of Ralph's shirt.

"Get off!" Ralph hissed. He pushed against Jack's chest with all his might, and scrambled out from under him. "You guys are mad!" he said. He grabbed Simon's arm and pulled him towards the shelters, with Piggy trotting along behind them.

* * *

Author's Note: Well, how was it? I know this has nothing to do with anything but I would just like to say how _frustrating_ it is when I'm spell checking this thing on fanfiction and I don't turn off the spellchecker, try to save, and it _erases my changes_! Grr! That's so stupid. So there may be spelling and grammar mistakes more than usual because I really don't feel like hunting for the mistakes all over again! Anyway, I know Roger's out of character, but I figured he's already a sadist, a savage and evil, so why not add perverted prick to the list? Eh? Thanks for reading!


	9. Sneaking Around

**Author's Note: **Here's the next chapter! I hope you guys like it. I don't really have that much to say... so enjoy! I just want to thank you guys for continuing to review! Reading them makes my day!

_SugarTea:_ Oh my god another long review! I may have to start messaging you guys my replies to them if this continues, not that I mind. haha Your reviews always give me something to think about. I'm glad you didn't see the seperation coming, I thought it was obvious. lol I've been planning on seperating them for a while though, so I finally did it. Hmm, I'm not sure if I have it in me to tear Ralph and Diana apart. Don't worry about the Piggy and Kimmy thing; they're side characters. I don't think I'll have them fall in love. I just thought it would be nice for Piggy to have somebody to stick up for him, you know? No one ever does. I feel bad for Piggy, so I wanted him to have a friend. Thanks for reviewing, and I don't mind your long reviews in the slightest!

_Madeleine421:_ Yeah, I love Ralph and Diana too! Well, I love all the couples. lol Don't worry, just because of the split doesn't mean the romance will stop! In fact, it's much more interesting this way...

_Lyan Lover:_ Thank you! haha yeah I just sort of randomally came up with the beast thing. I'm not very clever or funny, so I'm glad you guys didn't think the beast thing was stupid. lol

_TuesdayNovember:_ Do not worry! There will certainly be more Jack and Catie to come! Just not much in this chapter... lol But next chapter, I promise (without giving too much away) they have some... stuff... happening. haha Thanks for the review!

_HermioneLennon:_ lol I'm glad you think it's interesting. I hope I can continue to keep it that way!

**Warnings: **Slight violence, slight suggestive themes, but mostly it's just fluff! I hope you guys don't mind. I can't help myself from getting cheesy sometimes, but I don't think it's too bad.

**Disclaimer: **It's not mine, obviously.

Catie was bent double. Like a cat she crept through the creepers and bushes, following the trail of pig dropping and hoof marks that guided her to her mark. She was bathed in sunlight from above, and sweat beaded on her brow and ran in rivulets down her back. She was hot, tired, and gross, but the thrill of the hunt urged her forward.

It had been exactly seven days they'd been on their own. A group of strong, capable women, free of childish boys to drag them down. It hadn't been easy, but they'd managed to carve a life out for themselves.

The group of girls lived about half a mile down the beach from the boys. They didn't have the bonus of a lagoon for water, but they had found a small stream in the jungle. Catie had organized her own group of huntresses on their first meeting. The group consisted of herself, Taylor, Beth, Hanna, a shy girl named Anna, and an extremely reluctant Alicia who wasn't much help at all and had only joined due to Catie's begging. It wasn't much, but somehow they'd managed.

Presently, Catie led the girls through the jungle, a long spear in her left hand. The girls were behind her, trying to be as quiet as possible. It was only natural Catie was the leader during these hunts, being the most experienced and all. She hated to admit that most of her skills came from observing Jack, but it was true. The hunts were certainly harder without the boys, but Catie wasn't about to give up yet!

"Come on," she hissed to the girls behind her, beckoning them with her free hand. She quickened her step through the jungle and followed the soft noises of squealing that could be heard in the distance.

She stopped her advance when she spotted the pig, a large sow sitting in a clearing with some piglets around her. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest with the anticipation of the kill, but she also knew that they'd gotten this far before, and still they had not dealt the final blow.

"Oh, we can't kill her, Catie. Please don't," Alicia whispered frantically behind her, gesturing to the mother pig. Her words fell on deaf ears and Catie did not respond. Alicia was too faint hearted for this. Catie was beginning to wish she hadn't invited her along.

"Beth, Taylor, you two go around the other side. We've gotta block it in," Catie ordered. Taylor and Beth nodded and did as Catie said. They crept as quietly as possible around to the other side. All that could be heard was the sound of their breath for a moment while Catie planned her attack.

"Please, Catie--" Alicia started. A hot hand touched her shoulder, but Catie shrugged her off.

"Shut up!" she hissed.

"But, it's a mother. We can't. We can't!" Her words had escalated to a louder volume, and Catie whirled around with a evil glint in her eye.

"Do you want meat or not? Suck it up!" Catie ordered.

She noticed some of the other girls looked apprehensive as well. "Stop acting like babies!" she said, and with these words, she made her advance. With a shrill cry that sounded more animal than human, Catie launched herself at the pig. It squealed in fear and tried to run away, but Taylor and Beth were supposed to be blocking its escape.

Catie heard a scream, and for a moment she thought Taylor had stopped it, but when she looked to see the pig was gone, and Taylor and Beth were laying in a heap on the ground, their war paint smeared and dirt covering their faces.

"What happened?" Catie shouted, too angry to keep her voice down.

"It broke through us. I'm sorry, Catie," Taylor explained. She brushed herself off and helped Beth get to her feet. Both girls did not look sorry. In fact, both had that same, guilty look Alicia had at the idea of killing a mother pig.

"You girls are too soft!" Catie said gruffly. She sounded more and more like Jack every day. "We've been through this before! You have to kill! You can't expect me to do all the work! We won't be able to survive without meat! Come on, we have to go on."

She gestured for the girls to follow, but the new recruit, Anna, quietly spoke up, "I'm too tired."

You could almost see steam coming out of Catie's ears as she whirled around and struck Anna across the face, "You're too tired? Huh? Well, all of us are! And we'll always be until we get meat! We need protein! Now, are you coming or not?" Catie started to walk forward again, but this time, no one followed.

Taylor spoke fearfully, "But we've hunted all day." There was a murmur of agreement from the other girls and many further protests.

"We've been hunting _every_ day!"

"My feet hurt!"

"We'll never catch anything!"

Catie, as much as she wanted to, knew she could not force the girls to do something they didn't want to do, and she knew that since they were so set against it, there would be no hope of them ever catching anything. They needed to be motivated. "Fine," she growled. "I'll continue on my own. Go back to camp."

The girls smiled gratefully at this, and Beth quietly said thanks. Catie didn't reply and stalked away from them, deeper into the vast jungle.

* * *

"How was hunting?" Diana asked when Alicia came out of the forest to sit beside her, but judging from the look on Alicia's face, Diana already knew the answer.

"Horrible," Alicia said. She grabbed a coconut filled to the brim with water and drunk from it deeply. She tossed it to the ground when she was done, and looked around eagerly for another, only to find there were none.

Diana explained, "Everyone's off swimming in the river. They drink from it too. I'm the only one left out here, watching them." She gestured to the younger girls who were too tired to go swimming with the others. Some were building sandcastles, but others just lay around lazily, with a sad, hopeless look in their eyes. The little girls seemed to miss their mothers more than the little boys did.

"Oh." Alicia sad, looking sympathetically at the littluns for a moment. "When are we going to see them?" she added in a whisper, although there was no need; the littluns wouldn't tell.

"As soon as it starts to get dark."

Alicia nodded, and pulled her knees to her chest. She looked beat. She missed Simon and their secret place. It had been a week since they'd been to see it, but at least she'd seen Simon.

Every day since the split Diana and Alicia had snuck off at night to meet with Ralph and Simon, and every time when they left at dusk they seemed to keep coming back later and later, until last night they hadn't returned until dawn. It was the one thing they looked forward to.

The foursome had thought up many potential ways to get the group back together, but to no avail. Alicia and Diana were about as successful at convincing Catie to join the boys as Ralph and Simon were trying to convince Jack to join the girls. Catie and Jack were both too stubborn, and they both insisted that the other would come around eventually and want them back, but so far, that hadn't happened.

"I miss them," Diana said, staring wistfully down the beach. They couldn't see the boys camp, but Diana could picture it in her mind.

Alicia nodded, sharing her melancholy, "I do too."

"Maybe we should just go join the boys' camp."

"They'd never let us in."

Diana sighed and hugged her knees to her chest, staring at her feet as the ocean came and covered them with water. She missed Ralph so badly it hurt. She never thought she'd be one of those girls to obsess over a boy, but here she was, obsessing over a boy. She couldn't help it though. Ralph was like her savior here. He made her feel safe and calm; loved. Whenever he put his arms around her and told her everything was going to be all right, she actually believed him, until he let go of her that is. Unfortunately, they hadn't been able to have a moment alone since the split, and as much as she loved spending time with Simon and Alicia at their nighttime meetings, she couldn't help but want to have a moment alone with Ralph. She wanted him to hold her again and tell her everything was going to be all right. She wanted to believe it too.

"...listening to me?"

"Huh?" Diana was snapped out of her thoughts by Alicia's voice.

"I said, when are the others coming back? We've gotta go soon. They'll be waiting for us."

"Oh, I'm not sure," Diana said sadly. She glanced around at the dozen or so little girls surrounding her. They relied on her to be their mother. She couldn't just leave them here.

"Maybe we--"

Alicia's words were cut off by a harsh cry that suddenly came from one of the littluns. Diana frowned and walked over to the little girl with the tears streaming down her face. It was Melissa. She always cried, and if Diana didn't get her to stop soon, she knew more littluns would begin crying as well.

"Mel, what's wrong?" Diana cooed. She bent down so she was at Melissa's level and stroked the girl's coarse black hair. Melissa cried harder and couldn't seem to get out her problem, but her face was beginning to turn green.

"The fruit's making her sick," Alicia said, coming over to kneel beside Diana. "It's all we've been eating, and we've got stuck with the sickly greenish-gray kind over here."

Diana pitied the child and pulled her into her arms. "I'm sorry. I'll go with you later and we'll find some better kind."

"My--my mummy--" Melissa muttered, the tears still streaming down her cheeks.

"What about your mummy?"

"She used to…she used to read stories to me when I was sick. Will you? Will you read…?" The words got lost to the littlun as the tears clogged her throat.

"Okay, I will. Come on," Diana said. The other little girls gathered around her, always eager for Diana's stories. She always knew the best ones.

"Diana…" Alicia began, looking at the nearly set sun out on the ocean and then longingly into the jungle. Diana knew they should be leaving soon, but she couldn't leave the little girls. They relied on her to play mother for them, and play the role Diana would.

"You go along. Tell the boys I'll be there soon."

"Are you sure?" Alicia asked, looking at the littluns once more before turning back to the jungle.

"Yeah, you go on along," Diana assured the younger girl with a smile. Although Alicia spent time with the littluns, she still didn't take to it as well as Diana did. Alicia tried, but for some reason the littluns always felt more safe when Diana was around.

"Okay," Alicia said. She gave Diana a small smile and then headed for the jungle.

Alicia made her way towards their meeting place. It was harder tonight, because she had left later and it was no longer dusk, so the darkness was creeping up on her. She felt a sense of unease being in the jungle alone at night, and couldn't help thinking she saw shadows moving in the bushes and voices whispering to her. It was all in her mind of course, but Alicia was still stared.

Where did they usually meet? Alicia wasn't sure. She could barely see. "Simon? Ralph?" she called out softly, pushing a vine out of her way. There was no response.

She quickened her step, beginning to feel anxious. She heard a crack come from behind her and she nearly jumped out of her skin. The tiny hairs on the back of her neck perked up and she felt cold. Her breath came out faster and she nearly ran through the jungle. She wished Diana had come with her; the trek was so much easier with a friend.

"Alicia?" A voice said coming in the direction she'd heard the crack.

Alicia jumped and turned in the direction. She rushed forward, not watching her feet, so she didn't notice when a large tree root blocked her path. Alicia caught her foot on it and pitched forward. She let out a squeal as she fell, but instead of hitting the hard, cold jungle dirt like she thought she would, instead she fell onto a solid mass, knocking both herself and the mass over.

It wasn't until she lay directly on top of it that she realized the mass was a person. Alicia was sprawled atop Simon, her face resting merely a few inches above his. She didn't move for a moment, but stared at him wide eyed. His body was right under hers and suddenly she felt very lightheaded.

"Simon!" she gasped. "I--I'm sorry."

"I--It--It's o--okay," Simon stuttered. He seemed far more nervous than her at their close proximity and his face was turning bright red. He reached over and grabbed onto Alicia's arms gently, thinking to lift her off him, but once his arms were there Alicia had started blushing too and he'd found himself frozen beneath her. They were both frozen, and only jumped apart when Ralph's loud voice washed over them.

"I knew you too were snogging!" he laughed. He stepped through the creepers and came over to them.

"We are not!" Alicia protested. "I fell!" In her haste to get up and whacked Simon in the face with her elbow and nearly fell over again. "Oh, I'm so sorry!"

Simon shook off the slight pain and stood, "I'm okay. It's nothing." He smiled sheepishly at Alicia who smiled back. Both were bright red and not meeting the other's gaze. The sight of the two was a cause of great pleasure to Ralph, who enjoyed teasing them about their supposed affair for the next few minutes before Alicia finally distracted him with one of the few topics that could.

"Don't you want to know where Diana is?"

"Of course," Ralph said. "Why, where is she?" He glanced around, expecting her to come out of the darkness.

"She's stayed back with the littluns, but she'll be here soon."

"What's wrong with them?"

"They've gotten sick. Eating too much fruit."

"Oh, you _still_ haven't caught anything yet?"

Alicia shook her head, slightly offended. "No, but we'll catch something soon. It's just…they wanted to kill a mother pig today and I just…I just couldn't.

"Oh, it's easy for us."

Alicia felt the need to prove herself, "Well, you're one to talk. You haven't been hunting once, have you?"

Ralph frowned. "Well, somebody's got to watch the fire! Jack's got everyone all riled up about hunting! We'll never get rescued at this rate."

Alicia sighed sadly and replied, "Same for us. All we do is hunt. Catie's obsessed."

"You'd think they'd get on well, wouldn't you? Catie and Jack? Since they're so alike, but all they do is fight…" Ralph mused.

"Yeah…"

The three were silent for a moment until Simon began walking in the direction of their meeting area and they followed. The group had found a small alcove of trees where they held their meeting nightly. There were several rocks for sitting on, and fireflies were often present, providing them with light. Simon had found it.

Alicia sat on the rock beside Simon, nearest to the fireflies. The large rock right across from them was where Ralph and Diana usually sat, often with their legs and shoulders touching. Simon and Alicia noticed this, but said nothing. They'd seen some of what the two had done in the jungle that day, but never had they brought it up once.

"So, I've been thinking," Ralph begin, "And I think we ought to form our own tribe. We could convince Piggy and some of the other boys. You and Diana could convince some girls. It would be better than how we've living now."

Alicia and Simon thought about this, but before they got a chance to reply Diana came bustling out of the jungle, looking quite terrified. When she spotted Ralph and the others she appeared quite relived.

"Sorry I'm late," Diana uttered.

When Ralph saw her a large grin broke out over his face and he gestured her over. "It's okay," he said. Diana smiled back and sat beside him. As usual their bodies touched. Her thigh brushed his and his hand absentmindedly caressed hers.

"I was just saying how we ought to form our own tribe and…"

Simon interrupted him, one of the few times the boy ever did so. "Aren't you going to tell them about…?" Simon begin, but shut his mouth at Ralph's harsh look.

"What? Tell us about what?" Diana pried, turning to look at Ralph with a quizzical gaze.

Ralph seemed extremely reluctant to speak, but eventually he muttered the words, "Well…Samneric…they think they saw the beastie in the jungle."

"What?!" Diana exclaimed, a look of fright crossing over her features. Ralph hated seeing her like this, and this was precisely the reason he hadn't wanted to tell her. He glared at Simon who looked away guiltily.

"Look, they were probably just imagining things. A group of us are going to check it out in the morning, but we probably won't find anything."

"_Probably_?"

"I mean, I _doubt _we'll find anything. I told you before Diana, and I swear to you, there is no beast," as he spoke his hand trailed up and down her spine gently, offering comfort. Diana shivered at his touch, but still did not feel completely at ease.

Simon spoke, "I told you. The beast is us."

"What does that mean?"

"It means…" He paused for a moment, trying to come up with the right words to convey his thought, "The beast is in all of us. It's…it's the badness that's inside us. Roger, what he did to Taylor, that's because of the beast, and Jack, how he feels when he kills the pigs, that's the beast." As Simon spoke his words became softer and softer, as if he were expecting his ideas to be shot down like they had at the assembly, but his friends were patient. They listened.

Alicia nodded slowly, understanding. "So then… there is no physical beast."

"Right."

They were silent for a moment, until Ralph said quietly, "But what about the scratch on Eric's face?"

Diana grabbed Ralph's hand and squeezed tightly, fearfully. The fireflies seemed to dissipate and the light seemed to fade. "I thought you didn't believe in the beast," Diana said.

"I don't, I'm just wondering…"

"He probably scratched himself on a branch," Simon said. This made sense, and for the moment, the four were convinced.

"You should tell what you said to the other boys," Ralph told Simon after a moment.

Simon shook his head, his long dark hair falling into his eyes, and said gravely "They don't listen to me…"

Alicia touched his hand briefly before wrenching it away, as if she'd been shocked, "You've just got to speak up."

Simon smiled, but didn't reply.

"Are you still going to look for the beast?" Diana asked Ralph after a time elapsed. There was worry in her tone.

"I've go to. To prove to everyone there isn't one," Ralph said.

Diana bit her lip but didn't protest, but she still looked worried. "I'll be fine," Ralph said. "You have no faith in me."

"I do! I'm just worried."

"Don't be." He smiled at her and she smiled back, wishing she could not worry just as he told her, but she knew she'd always worry about him, and Simon too.

The rest of their nighttime meeting was spent talking about lighter topics, well, as light as topics could get on the island. They spoke of Jack and Catie's belligerence, rescue, and of the littluns sickness. Ralph and Simon promised they'd bring some of the good fruit from their side of the island for the little girls.

Before they knew it, dawn was approaching and Alicia said that they should probably be getting back. Diana agreed, and, feeling reluctant, she stood to leave the boys. Ralph grabbed her hand in his and looked at her forlornly. Diana felt her heart ache; she didn't want to leave.

Simon and Alicia stood off to the side, feeling awkward; they hated parting just as much as Ralph and Diana did, but they never expressed it in the way the other two did. They were so melodramatic. They acted like they'd never see each other again. Alicia rolled her eyes at the couple and Simon stifled a laugh.

Diana turned and looked at Alicia in mock anger. "Go on then. I'll catch up with you later."

Alicia shrugged and headed off into the jungle. She expected Simon to head off in the opposite direction as he usually did, but instead she heard him fall in step beside her.

Alicia turned and smiled at him. The days on the island may have caused his appearance to chance, but he still looked as cute as he had the day he'd shown her his secret clearing. He was still a tiny, frail looking boy, but life on the island had caused him to grow some muscles so he seemed less like a boy and more like the teenager he was. He wore the tattered remains of a white dress shirt and grey shorts. He was one of the few boys who even bothered to keep their shirts on. His dark hair was longer now, and fell into his eyes often, so he frequently had to push it out of his face. His eyes were green and whenever she looked into them she felt like she was looking into someone pure, someone untouched by the horrors around them. Alicia liked him, and found she'd even started to develop a crush on the boy. How silly was that? Thinking about romance when she should be thinking about rescue!

"I want to show you something," he said, grabbing her hand to stop her from moving.

"What?"

"You'll see." He said it mysteriously, like he was going to reveal a secret with her. She wondered if he'd found another secret place. He gently tugged her hand so she followed him deeper into the jungle.


	10. Forbidden

**Author's Note: **Okay, so… I couldn't help myself. I know, I know, I'm bad, but this chapter sort of leans towards M again. Wow this thing is mega long. I just can't stop writing, and I know I always switch POVs constantly, but whatever. So what if it's long, right? lol On a more important note, I'M SO SORRY I TOOK FOREVER! I just didn't have the muse to write, but I think I got it back. The sad thing is I actually had most of it done, but I wanted to get it all before I published. I hope you guys are still with me. I also noticed the influx of new LOTF stories, which I must find time to read soon! Unfortunatly my English teacher decided to give us two books to read at the same time that are wicked big and boring, and other acedemically related issues have kept me from write--- okay now I'm just making excuses. lol Thank you guys for reviewing, favoriting, and reading! I love you all! This is the last chapter where I'll be responding to your reviews in the story. The only reason for this is because it makes the story appear longer than it is, so expect the replies to be in your inboxes. Anyway! Moving on!

Madeleine421: *Munches cookies* Thank you for the review and the cookies! I love chocolate chip! Yeah, Ralph is occ, but who knows, we never saw how he'd act around a crush so maybe he does act all PDA, but yeah fearless leader=PDA makes me laugh too. haha

xXASupernaturalHungerForTrekXx: Thanks so much! Well, I'm glad you like Ralph and Diana because they get a pretty big scene in this chapter. I hope you aren't against... well... adult themes. lol *chews cookies*

TuesdayNovember: Ah yes, who doesn't love fluff? I think everyone needs a healthy dose of it now and again. Thank you!

HermioneLennon: There will be more Simon and Alicia in the future! I love them too! I can't wait for their big scene, but don't worry they aren't going to be anything like Ralph and Diana! Thanks for the review!

Karabell: Thank you! I can't tell you what I have in store for Simon! But I really, really want to! You guys will just have to wait for that chapter! But I will tell you this, people will die, but I'm not telling who! Roger is always creepy, and Ralph, yes, I do admit I probably make him too horny, but I wanted to do something different. In most fanfics I've noticed writers tend to make Ralph more sensitive and caring, which he is, but I think he has another side. I don't think he's quite so innocent as we think. ;) lol

SugarTea: I love your reviews! They make me think! Oh god but I think you've put more thought into my characters than I have! lol I love how you started with "I don't have very much to say" and then proceeded to write three paragrapsh about the story! lol I'm not exactly sure how to respond to this, so I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm babbling: I meant for Catie to be the tough girl, the one who'll take a stand against the boys and put Jack in his place. She does care about the girls, but I don't think she cares about them more than Diana does. I'd say they have differnt ideas for how they want to care for them. Catie is more of a leader for the older girls and Diana looks after the little ones. I'm not sure if Catie is really playing by the rules of civilization. The only reason she was mad that Roger touched Taylor there was because of Taylor's reaction. If Taylor had liked it, Catie wouldn't have cared. Hmm. Now you're confusing me! lol But please don't stop analzying, I find your thoughts interesting. :) You hit the nail on the head with Catie's vunerability. She really is deep down, and I think this chapter shows more of her other side. I certainly don't take what you said about Diana an insult at all! I'm glad my characters have flaws. I don't like Mary-Sues, and I try to stay as far away from them as possible! Thank you for the insightful review! :D

**WARNING, WARNING, WARNING: **This chapter takes a brief stroll into M like territory, but I thought it would be silly to change the rating just for one scene. It's only a bit worse than the scene in chapter 7. (You all know the scene I'm talking about) I'll put a * when it starts and when it stops so you can be forewarned.

**Disclaimer:** Of course I don't own this! Do you really think William Golding would allow me to corrupt his characters in such ways? :P

* * *

Catie was not lost. Certainly not. Okay, so maybe she'd taken a couple wrong turns, but she knew exactly where she was going now. Maybe it had started to get a little dark, but that wouldn't hinder her. Catie knew the island like the back of her hand.

Right?

Night had fallen and Catie was still wandering the jungle. She hadn't caught the pig on her own. She should have known she'd be unsuccessful; how was she supposed to take on a pig all by herself? Still, she'd had to try. She'd hunted all day, and even when dusk had come Catie had kept going. Now, she had no idea what time it was. She could barely see anything. The trees blanketed the forest, blocking out the sky and the stars that would provide her with light.

This was all the girls' fault. If they had stayed with her they would have caught the sow and been celebrating at camp right now, but instead Catie was in the jungle all by herself. And she was lost. There, she would admit it. She was lost.

The forest was still, but every so often Catie would hear a rustling and she had to repeatedly tell herself it was an animal to prevent her from panic. She still held her spear, which she used to guide her so she wouldn't bump into anything. The darkness was thick and Catie could hardly tell whether she had her eyes opened or closed. It probably wouldn't have mattered either way.

She let out a scream of aggravation, surely not fear or panic. Catie stabbed brutally at the vines and branches blocking her path. Perhaps she should just find a nice little space to sleep in, but Catie didn't want to give up. She had to get back to her tribe.

Catie heaved herself over a large rock blocking her path and finally spotted something. A flap of some sort was waving in the wind. Perhaps she was near camp after all. Sometimes the girls would hang their clothes out to dry after going swimming. She must be by the river then. With a sigh of relief, Catie quickened her step towards the cloth fluttering in the slight wind.

This was a mistake.

Catie tripped over a loose tree root and fell flat on her face. When she looked up she came face to face with it. The beast.

It wasn't a monster; it looked more like a ghoul. It had a face like that of a human, but also something else. Bones were peeking through rotting flesh and then the thing lunged forward. She felt something brush her foot; probably the beast's claws, which caused Catie to scream. This time not in rage. Or frustration. Or happiness. But in terror. Absolute real terror.

Catie wrenched herself away from the dark mass that was the beast and hurtled herself away, back down the mountain in sheer madness. She screamed so loud even the boys' camp heard it, and ran so fast it was as if she were flying down the mountain.

She swore the beast was chasing her, but she wouldn't dare turn around to look. Things scratched at her feet. Were they creepers or the beast's claws, trying to grab her? Something tickled her neck. Were they leaves or the beast's fangs, trying to devour her? Catie pushed herself faster. It was not like her to run from danger. But this was no ordinary beast. It was huge and gross and moving and coming after _her_.

Catie did not notice where she was going. She had no idea where she was, so it came as a complete surprise to her when she came face to face with _him _in the jungle. The other beast.

She rammed into him at top speed, causing both her and the boy to fall to the ground. He cursed and someone laughed. Catie was still for a moment atop the body, until realizing who it was.

"I knew you'd come around," Roger said. He looked even more evil than usual in the darkness. He smirked and reached an arm around her back, holding her captive. "Miss me?"

Catie looked down upon the beast and found it to be Roger. The foolish boy lowered his hand and squeezed her butt, causing Catie's fear to mix with her anger and she punched Roger in the face with more force than she'd usually be capable.

"Fuck!" Roger said. He shoved Catie off him violently and cradled his jaw.

"Bloody hell, Roger, I think she hit you harder than Ralph did!"

"Shut up!"

The other boy laughed and stepped over to Catie, who was seated on the ground. "What are you doing here? Finally given up?"

Catie blinked up at the person who spoke, and cringed. It was Jack. Her blood immediately began to boil as she stared into his freckled face. This was just perfect. Jack smirked and grabbed her arm to harshly pull her up to him.

"You here to surrender?"

It took Catie a moment to regain her bearings, especially when she felt his warm breath and realized just how close she was to her worst enemy, but when she finally did her usual fiery attitude came back fast as she accessed the situation. She was alone with Jack and Roger. The two she hated most on the island. A wild beast was also after her. She didn't have time to deal with them now.

"Hell no. Now get out of my way!" Catie's voice shook slightly, and she cursed herself.

The boys recognized the panic in her voice and mistook it as fear of them. It spurred them on and Roger stepped beside Jack so Catie was corned by the two boys against a tree.

"What's wrong?" Roger asked, he reached a hand forward and grabbed her jaw in a hard grip, forcing her gaze on his. "The beastie want to get in your pants?"

The boys were standing far too close now. She could feel their heat and smell Roger's foul breath. Catie's fists clenched and she raised her hand to slap Roger silly, when his hand suddenly released her jaw and Jack had a clamped firmly on Roger's wrist.

"Sod off, Roger! Can't you see she doesn't want you?"

His words surprised both Catie as well as Roger. Catie, because Jack had actually stood up for her, and Roger, because Jack _never_ ordered him around. Roger shrugged Jack off and took a step away from Catie with a shocked look on his face.

"Go back to camp, Roger, and tell the others the girls have surrendered," Jack declared.

"But--"

"Go back to camp, Roger," Jack growled. There was menace in his voice and Roger felt inclined to obey. He nodded shortly and disappeared into the jungle.

Jack turned back to Catie and smirked. He stepped closer to her so their bodies were less than an inch apart. Catie was trapped. She felt her heartbeat quicken and the way he was looking at her made her feel lightheaded, but she forced herself to keep her head.

"I haven't surrendered," she said, her voice sounding more breathless than she'd intended.

"You haven't? Then what are you doing here?" Jack asked.

Catie hesitated in her answer. Should she tell Jack she'd seen the beast? After all the things she'd said to make him and the others not believe in it? But what if the beast was chasing her even now? She couldn't just stand here and let it get her… But it hadn't gotten her yet, perhaps it had stayed on the mountain or lost her trail. Perhaps it was like a zombie, slow and stupid. She shuddered at the thought of something dead chasing her.

Jack mistook her shudder for something other than fear. He grinned and pressed his body up against hers. "I think I know what you want. If you weren't so bloody annoying I would have given it to you a long time ago," he said huskily, his words a whisper in her ear. His hand trailed down her side and to her thigh, squeezing gently.

It took Catie a moment to process his words, and even though he'd insulted her at the same time, they still caused tingles to spread throughout her body. Did he think she wanted…?

A shiver raced down her spine at the thought and Catie suddenly became very aware of his hard body pressed against hers. He was practically naked, having stripped himself of his shirt and shorts so he stood against her in his boxers that were ripped as if he were a Tarzan wannabe. He could pass for Tarzan, she thought. He was handsome. Strong. Forbidden.

Forbidden.

The word echoed through her mind and she came back to reality. She couldn't start falling for Jack now! She hated him! Right? "You're sick," she said, beating on his back with her fists so he'd get off her. "Of course I don't want you!" Luckily her words managed to sound true and Jack almost believed her.

"Fine. Calm down! If you don't want it, I'll find someone else. I'm sure some of your girls will get tired of your shitty leadership skills soon enough," He grinned and removed his body from hers. "What are you here for then?"

The thought of Jack touching any girl other than her caused more anger to flood her body than the thought of her girls betraying her to join Jack's tribe. That was ridiculous. What did she care if he wanted someone else? She certainly didn't want him…

"I didn't mean to come here," Catie explained. She hesitated in telling him the rest, but decided she'd better. She'd rather him think her a coward than think she'd come here for him. "I was running from the beast."

To her surprise Jack's face remained extremely grave and serious. He spoke, "I thought you didn't believe in the beast."

"I do now. Jack, I saw it. Up on the mountain," Catie's words came out weak and shaky, and she hated herself for sounding that way, but the beast had terrified her. Jack noticed this change in her. Catie had gone from her strong independent nature to a frightened child. Jack didn't like seeing it. Catie was a challenge for him. She fought him and insulted him. She wasn't supposed to be scared of the imaginary beast. Then again… Samneric had seen it. The imaginary beast had turned into a reality.

"Don't worry," Jack assured her. "My hunters and I are going to look for it tomorrow. We'll kill it."

Catie's eyes widened and she shook her head, "You can't. It'll kill you. What have you got? Spears? That won't do any good. You're batty! You can't hunt this thing! I saw it. It's like… it's like a ghost. A demon… or something. You'll be wasting your time."

"We can handle it," Jack said simply. Why didn't anyone have any confidence in his hunting skills? Ralph had told him the same thing earlier today. If there was a beast, he'd kill it. It was as simple as that.

Catie rolled her eyes at him and took several steps away. "Whatever. Get yourselves killed. I don't care. I'm going back. I've got to warn the girls."

Jack was on her in a flash, his hand grabbing her wrist. "Wait. If you think we can't handle the beast, then how do you think you're going to survive? You're just girls."

Catie's anger flared up and she wrenched her wrist out of his grip. "I only said _you_ couldn't handle it. I never said anything about us. We'll be fine. Worry about yourself."

Jack felt like grabbing her and commanding her to stay with him, but he forced himself to stay still and let her go. Protecting her wasn't his job. Just because he was attracted to her didn't mean he had to care about her. "Fine. Go," he barked.

She nodded and gave him one last nasty look before turning and making her way back into the jungle. She'd only taken a couple steps away from him before Jack called, "You know, the beach is that way." He pointed his thumb in the opposite direction, which caused Catie's face to turn beet red.

"Right. I know." She turned around and started in the correct direction. Jack could be heard laughing behind her, but still Catie did not turn around.

* * *

"Promise you'll be careful?" Diana asked Ralph for what seemed the hundredth time. She was still worried about him tracking the beast, even after he'd told her over and over again that he'd be fine.

Ralph rolled his eyes and replied, "Yeah, jeez, stop acting like my mother. "

Diana hit him playfully, "You better not think of me as your mother, not after…" She trailed off, blushing deeply.

Ralph knew what she was thinking about; the night in the forest after the signal fire had gone out. He remembered it well, and thinking on it caused him to blush too. That night had been the first time he'd actually gone so far with a girl. He'd actually gotten to second base! (albeit briefly) That would be something to brag about back home, but here it was a secret just between the two of them.

Ralph and Diana hadn't kissed since, seeing as each night they'd been accompanied by Simon and Alicia, and left with each respectively. But Ralph wanted to, he really, really did. He knew that maybe he shouldn't, because the last time he'd done it, he'd felt like he'd been doing something forbidden and wrong, but that hadn't meant he didn't like it. Ralph really liked it. He liked the way it made him feel. He liked the warm fire that had spread throughout his veins with each kiss, each touch, and he wanted to feel that fire again.

He looked into Diana's vivid green eyes now, trying to remember what she'd just said so he could reply properly. Finally it came to him, and, after a pause he replied, "Yeah, you're definitely not my mother. You're my…" But he didn't know what she was. What was she? Certainly not his friend. His girlfriend?

Diana didn't offer him any help with labeling herself. Ralph decided to let the sentence hang there, and he said stupidly, "I really like you, Diana."

She laughed and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "I really, _really_ like you too, Ralph," she said.

His head rested next to hers, and her hair tickled his face. He inhaled deeply, wondering in amazement how her hair could still smell so good despite them being on a deserted island. He returned the hug and held her tight, cherishing it. Her breath was against his neck, her knees brushing his, her face next to his. She pulled away slightly so she could look into his face. Ralph knew what was coming next, but he was still unprepared for the feelings that came with it.

He kissed her first, ready and eager. He licked her bottom lip with his tongue, seeking entry. Diana granted it at once, and Ralph swooped his tongue inside to explore the contours of her mouth. Diana moaned softly, urging him on. She pressed her body against his as hard as she had last time, but this time things seemed to be progressing even faster than before.

****Warning. Caution.****

Somehow they'd ended up laying down. Ralph's body was firmly pressed against hers, hard where she was soft and leaning into her curves just the right way. They kissed passionately, and as they had before, Ralph's hands began to wander, but this time, Diana's did too. She removed her hands from around his neck and felt his bare chest, toned from work on the island. He wore nothing but a pair of worn out shorts, and whenever his hips brushed against hers the couple moaned, savoring the new and wonderful feelings that had begun to overwhelm them.

Ralph removed his lips from hers and lowered them to her neck. He nipped and bit at her skin gently, then kissed away the sting. His kisses made her feel so good. She felt heat curl in her stomach and spread, desire consuming her.

Her skirt had ridden up in their haste, so one of Ralph's hands rested on her bare thigh, while the other was slowly creeping up her shirt. Diana didn't stop him, not even when his hand touched her breast did she stop him. All rational thought seemed to be erased from her mind.

At some point her shirt had been tossed aside; everything was happening so fast Diana wasn't sure how it had even happened. Their breathing was frantic, their kisses heated, their touches frenzied.

Only when Ralph's hand actually dipped into the waistband of her skirt did Diana snap out of the sensual haze she'd been in and she realized just what she was allowing him to do. He'd gotten as far as getting it halfway down her thighs before Diana forced herself to stop him.

"Ralph, stop," She said. Her voice was soft, and it still had that throaty tone to it. Ralph stopped the kisses he was raining on her neck and slowed his movements.

"What?" he asked, seeming to come out of a haze himself.

"Stop it. We can't. We have to stop." Diana pushed him off her and grabbed her skirt. She pushed his hand away and pulled it back up her legs.

Ralph blinked a couple times in surprise, as if he were coming out a trance. Then he rolled off her and leaned against the rock, breathing heavy. "I'm sorry."

Diana waved his apology away, knowing she wanted it just as badly as he did. "Don't apologize. We just…we have to be careful. We don't want to get carried away." She reached over for her shirt and pulled it over her head. Her lips were puffy and her face was red. Dark marks scattered her neck where Ralph had sucked the sensitive skin.

"Too late for that," Ralph muttered. He ran his hand through his silky blond hair and smiled at her guiltily.

Diana bit her lip, feeling terribly contrite and nervous. If she hadn't stopped him... If she'd let him continue as she'd wanted… She knew what would have happened. They would have gone all the way. How could she have let this happen? Her face burned and she stared at him, unsure of what to say. This was not like her. She was a good, respecatble young lady, as her mother would say. She knew her responsiblities, but here, on the island, there was nothing to stop her from doing it. There were no little voices buzzing around in her head telling her right from wrong. Diana bit her lip and didn't meet Ralph's eyes.

A part of her blamed Ralph, and even though she knew that wasn't fair, it was easier to blame him for their reckless behavior than herself.

"Hey, don't be upset okay?" Ralph said. He approached her and placed his hands on her arms. "We'll be more careful next time."

Even this small touch sent a thrill through her. Every time her touched her it got harder to stop. "We really can't Ralph. You know what could happen."

"Oh?" Ralph had to think about this for a moment, but then the fact dawned on him. "OH! Yeah, we don't need any more littluns running around."

Diana almost choked on air. "Don't worry. I would have stopped," Ralph said. But even as he spoke, Ralph wasn't a hundred percent certain he would have.

"Yeah, well, I better be going then…" Diana said.

Ralph let out an aggravated sigh and said, "This is so stupid. If only Catie hadn't overreacted we could be together right now."

Diana supposed he was right. Catie had overreacted, but Roger had crossed a line. "I don't know..."

Ralph continued, "No one even knows exactly what happened between Taylor and Roger. Catie just assumed the worst. If not for them, we could be together right now."

Diana narrowed her eyes and replied, "What Roger did to Taylor is nothing like what you do to me. She didn't want it. What he did is serious Ralph. I don't think Catie overreacted at all. He should have been kicked out, and as leader, you should have made that happen."

"So this is my fault then?"

Diana didn't reply. Ralph was throughly confused. How on Earth had they gone from making out to fighting in so little a time?

"I should go. Catie's going to kill me."

"Will you come tommorow?"

"Maybe," and with this word as his only assurance, Diana left Ralph standing in the clearing, wondering how he'd managed to screw up so badly.

* * *

Simon led Alicia through the jungle with his hand still in hers. He wasn't sure why he wasn't letting go, maybe to make sure she went the right way, or maybe it was just because of the simple reason that he liked holding it. Her hand was warm and it made him feel all funny inside, but it was a good kind of funny, like how you feel right before you go down a huge drop on a rollercoaster.

Simon had never felt this way before. He'd only just turned fourteen before they'd evacuated, and he was a shy kid. He had few friends and he didn't talk much in the choir. But here on the island, Alicia was his friend. She listened to what he said and she believed him. She shared his secret place. She was kind and helpful and smart. She appreciated nature just as he did, which was why he was leading her through the jungle now at such a rapid pace. He had to get there before it went away.

"Where are we going Simon?" Alicia asked, panting slightly behind him.

Simon didn't answer, but pushed aside a curtain of foliage and held it open so Alicia could step through. "It's right through here."

With a curious look on her face, Alicia smiled at Simon and then ducked through the hanging vines. Simon heard her gasp and with a grin he stepped through as well.

They stood on the edge of a cliff, with caves dotting along it and rocks littering the ground. The setting wasn't all that extraordinary, but the sight before them was. The sun was rising steadily along the horizon, it's rays growing and spreading. Swirls of red, orange, pink, and yellow surrounded the floating orb. It was far more beautiful than it would have looked in their previous life. It was a beacon of light reflecting over the ocean, offering hope and strength. From their perch on the mountainside, Alicia and Simon could see it perfectly.

Simon came up beside Alicia and watched her awed expression with a grin. He knew she'd like it. The others would brush it off as boring, but Alicia would appreciate it. He knew she would.

"It's so amazing up here," Alicia said, only turning her gaze briefly from the horizon to look at Simon. "How'd you find this place?"

Simon shrugged. "I just went exploring. I don't like it at camp. Ralph and Jack are always fighting."

Alicia frowned at the troubled look on Simon's face. It sounded like things at the boys' camp were just as bad as things at the girls' camp.

"I wish everybody could just get along you know? This sucks." She pulled her legs to her chest and stared off into the sunset longingly, "We should just go live in our secret place. I bet no one would miss us."

"Ralph and Diana would."

Alicia laughed and turned to look at Simon. "Maybe, but I think they're too wrapped up in each other to notice anything."

"We can't just run off."

Alicia pouted but then lay back and stared up at the clouds. Her hand lay by his and the other rested on her stomach. "Yeah, I guess not. But I hate this. I want to stop sneaking around and just be your… friend out in the open."

Simon agreed wholeheartedly. He lay back beside her and watched as the clouds swirled together and the sun slowly rose. The two spent a great deal of time on that mountain that day. They spoke of home, school, friends, rescue, the last of which they spoke the least about, proving how much hope had really been lost. At one point, when Alicia admitted to Simon of her broken home and her particularly depressing childhood, he even dared to bridge the small gap between their fingers. He entwined his hand with her, meaning to offer comfort, but the touch meant more to the both of them than either would have thought.

Alicia didn't return to camp until the afternoon, but by luck she didn't run into Catie. Diana wasn't so lucky.

* * *

"Where have you been?" Catie hollered the minute Diana came wandering into camp.

It was late in the morning, nearing noon. Catie and the other girls had been preparing for a hunt. Catie had not yet told them about the beast.

She'd noticed Diana's absence because Diana was the prime candidate for watching over the littluns. The girls, unlike the boys, deemed it necessary to keep an eye on the little ones. When Catie had looked for Diana that morning, she hadn't been there, and seeing the state the girl was in now told Catie she hadn't been in camp at all last night.

"I was getting fruit for the littluns," Diana offered as her excuse, but Catie knew right away that this was a lie.

Diana's clothes were disheveled and her hair was a mess. These things could be easily overlooked, as it was normal for clothes and hair to be unkempt on a deserted island, but the hickeys on the girl's neck gave her away. Catie was not naïve to love bites. She knew exactly what those red marks were, having received some of her own in the past, so she bloody well knew Diana was lying.

"Did the littluns bite your neck, then?"

Diana didn't reply.

"Answer me!" Catie roared.

"These are… I was… I got stung by a bee."

The excuse was so ridiculous and unbelievable that Catie let out a short, sarcastic laugh. "Oh really? Did they bruise your lips too?"

Once again Diana did not reply. She couldn't meet Catie's eyes and looked at the ground in anger and guilt.

"You've been sleeping with the enemy! Who is it? Bill? Roger? Jack?" The last name was said with such venom that Diana had a feeling Catie would kill her if she said it was Jack.

Diana bit her lip and thought of the best way to answer. Catie would not allow her hesitation. She grabbed Diana by the shoulders and shook her hard. "Who is it? Tell me!"

Diana remained silent, leaving Catie to only assume the worst. Jack's earlier words repeated over and over in her mind: _If you don't want it, I'll find someone else. _What if…? What if Jack and Diana had…? Catie could not bear the thought.

"Get your things."

"What?"

"I'm kicking you out. Go live with the boys. I don't care. We can't have you… sleeping around like this, especially with the threat of the beast."

"Beast?" Diana repeated. "I thought you said there was no beast!"

By now many of the girls were crowding around to see what the commotion was. Catie looked around at them all and figured now was just as good a time as any.

"That's right," she said loudly. Her voice echoed around them. She sounded sure and confident. "I saw the beast."

There were gasps and some of the littluns started to whimper in fear. "Don't worry," Catie tried to assure them. "As long as we stay out of the deep jungle we should be fine, but if we allow Diana to wander off wherever she pleases, the beast may follow her and she may lead it here. Don't you see? Diana, you can't stay with us."

There were many nods at this, but some of the little ones seemed worried. They loved Diana and regarded her as a mother figure, and if she left, then who would take care of them?

"You have to leave Diana. You're a danger to all of us," Catie said.

"Shut the bloody hell up, Catie! I'll leave if Diana does," A voice suddenly yelled. All eyes turned and were surprised to find Alicia standing off to the side, her fists clenched and her face hard. Diana smiled gratefully at her friend; she hadn't thought she had it in her.

Diana, fueled by anger and Alicia's back up, growled, "I'm tired of your… your… dictatorship! You're just as bad as Jack! We'll go and form our own tribe! I've had enough of this!" She spoke at a reasonable volume, but the strength and venom laced throughout her tone drew a shocked silence from the crowd. Catie was speechless.

Diana pushed by Catie and went to stand by Alicia. "We're going to start our own tribe. You can join if you want, or you can stay and get abused by Catie. I don't care. It's your choice."

They looked around at the others expectantly. No one moved, and the girls felt their confidence falter, but then, emerging from the middle of the crowd, came small little Melissa. She held the hand of one of her friends, and the two little girls came forward and stood beside Diana. Diana smiled down at them and Melissa reached up to take her faux mother's hand.

Slowly but surely came most of the littluns, and a couple bigguns came forward and joined Diana and Alicia. Soon Catie was standing with only half a dozen girls, less than half of what she'd started with. Catie looked furious, but she said nothing more except to order them to hurry and get their things. The girls worked quickly and then disappeared into the jungle.

Only Catie, Taylor, Hanna, Anna, Beth, and a handful of other girls remained. They turned to Catie expectantly, seeking direction. When she didn't speak, Anna spoke up softly, "Is there really a beast?

Catie was silent for a moment, before announcing. "Yes, and we're going to hunt it."

**Author's Note:** I know, I know, it's... risky. It's different. It's what it is. Ugh. This chapter seems to consist of three parts. 1. Ralph/Diana: perverted yet sweet. 2. Simon/Alicia: Sweet and cheesy. Then 3. Jack/Catie: perverted and such. lol I hope you guys liked. I know, Ralph's a bit occ right? I originally wanted to keep everyone in character, but I think I'm failing. haha What do you guys think? But then again, maybe they would have acted different around girls. Who knows? I know Diana's anger at Ralph seems unexpected, but it will be explained in the next chapter. I think the next one is one of the most intense parts, if I do say so myself, No! Not pervertedly instense! You'll see. If it fits in the next chapter that is. I'm undecided on this chapter. I need feedback. Be brutally honest guys, but don't be mean about it or I will cry. lol Thanks for reading!


	11. The Beast

A/N: Thank you everyone for you're helpful reviews! I would reply, but it feels silly seeing as there has been such a gap in time between this chapter and the last. I'm terrible, I know, but I was rereading the story and felt like I was so close to finishing and I couldn't believed I'd stopped. My muse kicked in and well, here's the next chaper. I apologize guys! I'm so sorry! Thank you all who've read the story and given you're reviews. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I hope my writing hasn't lost it's touch.

* * *

Jack was beyond angry. He was infuriated. Things on the island were not going in his favor. Ralph was still leader, however incompetent Jack knew the boy to be, and now all the girls were gone. It was very boring without the girls. And now there was a beast. Perfect. Just one more thing to add to his wonderful life.

Even the beast wasn't the worst thing though, no, the worst thing was Catie. He still couldn't get that stupid redhead out of his head. He couldn't understand it, but he was worried about her, actually _worried_. He'd never worried before, but that was when they were still one tribe. Now Catie was off god-knows-where doing god-knows-what, and Jack could do nothing to stop her.

In his anger, Jack stabbed his knife into a nearby tree trunk and dragged it across the bark on his way back to camp. It had been several hours since their meeting in the woods in the early morning. For a moment back there, he'd actually thought she was going to agree to join them again, but then she'd run off once more, claiming she'd be able to take care of herself. Foolish, stupid girl. If the threat of the beast were true, then she was not safe. Sure, she may be a good hunter, but Jack doubted she could handle herself against a beast, especially a demonic one as she'd described it.

When he'd held her in his arms, he'd been able to feel her bones. The curves he'd so loved to admire were gone, and now she was skinny, unhealthily so. Jack hated to see such a strong girl crumble like she was. Jack worried for her, but that was silly. Catie could take care of herself, and even if she couldn't Jack didn't care about her. No, he certainly didn't. She meant nothing to him… right?

Jack sighed in frustration as he entered camp once more. Littluns were running around crazily, and the bigguns were just laying around. Odd. Where was Ralph? He was usually here, telling everybody to build huts or watch the fire or some other trivial task.

Shrugging, Jack began to make his way to where the conch was perched. Before he'd taken so much as a step towards it however, someone grabbed his forearm and pulled him back.

Jack turned at the touch and found Roger standing beside him, one hand clasped on his wrist and the other clutched around his spear. His face was already painted in bright red and black, and he looked more menacing than usual.

"Where are the girls? I thought you said they'd be joining us?"

"Oh. They were, I thought, but Catie thinks they'll do fine on their own," Jack said, rolling his eyes to express his aggravation at this fact.

Roger's eyes narrowed and he banged his spear into the sand angrily, "Are we at least going hunting then?"

"Jesus, Roger, calm down. You're more cracked than usual today," Jack said. Roger didn't reply, but the look on his face darkened and Jack continued, "Yeah, we're going hunting. I was just going to summon the hunters now."

"Well, what about the girls?"

"We've got to take care of the beast first," Jack insisted. "There won't be any girls left if we let it live. Come on."

Roger looked like he was about to reply, but the familiar sound of a horn being blown reached them. It seemed someone had beat them to calling the meeting. With a shrug to Roger, Jack headed off towards the meeting spot to find Ralph holding the conch with Piggy at his side. _Big surprise there, _he thought bitterly.

"What do you want Ralph?" Jack demanded the moment he reached the growing group. He pushed his way past the others and came face to face with Ralph.

"I just wanted to talk to everyone, about some things that have been going on…"

Jack rolled this eyes at this and exchanged a look with Roger. Many of Ralph's past speeches had started out just like this, and they always ended up being so bloody long and stupid that Jack usually left half way through.

"Things have been getting out of control," Ralph continued, very aware of Jack's hateful glare but trying his best to ignore it, "First the whole thing with Roger and Taylor…" There was some chuckling at this, which Ralph snapped at, "It's not funny! Things have really been getting out of control! Nobody watches the signal fire anymore and nobody does any work-"

"Give it a rest, Ralph. The beast is the most important thing right now," Jack interrupted, forcefully yanking the conch out of Ralph's hands. "We have to kill it before it gets us!"

"We aren't even entirely sure there is a beast though," Ralph argued.

"I talked with one of the girls this morning, and she said she saw it. Samneric did too. Honestly Ralph, how thick can you get? I say we hunt and kill it. Maybe give its head to the girls so they'll join us again. What do you say?"

There was a great deal of cheering at this, and the hunters thrust their spears in the air in glee. "Kill the beast! Kill the beast! Kill the beast!" They chanted over and over. Ralph and his only comrade, Piggy, were at a loss to stop the mania.

"Samneric, lead the way to its lair!" Jack ordered, grabbing a spear from Roger and giving Ralph a snide glare before following the twosome into the jungle. Who was Ralph kidding? He'd never have what it took to truly lead. As soon as they killed the beast, he'd get Catie back, and they'd kick Ralph and the other dead weights out.

* * *

Ralph sat beside Piggy and Simon on the log, watching as the boys retreated into the jungle. "It's no use. They're never going to listen to me. We might as well just go join the girls."

Piggy shook his head and grabbed the conch from the log where Jack had left it, as if the conch would offer him strength, "You have to lead Ralph. Without you we'll have no chance of rescue. You're our only hope. You know no one listens to me and-"

"Well, no one listens to me either!" Ralph protested, quite tired of hearing the same retorts from Piggy over and over again. It was no use. No one was going to listen to him. He was supposed to be fighting the beast right now too, but the more he thought about it, what Simon had said was beginning to make a lot of sense. What if there really was no beast? What if they were it? What if the beast was just some wild fantasy they'd conjured up out of fear? In the darkness Ralph knew very well how one's mind could play tricks on you.

Piggy was just started to begin a long speech about why Ralph was the best leader and why they should try harder to get the rest under control when a dark head emerging from the jungle caught his attention.

"Diana?" He exclaimed, watching in surprise as she exited the dense jungle, followed by a dozen or so girls. It looked like at least half of the girls' tribe had followed her.

She smiled shyly when she saw him and quickened her step, slowed quite a bit by the little girl who was clutching her hand. Alicia came too, following close behind. Simon stood up when he saw her and Piggy nearly fell off the log in surprise at the new arrivals.

"Ralph," Diana said his name like a prayer and hugged him tightly when she reached him. All over again, he felt warm and tingly in her embrace. "We split up. Our tribe, I mean. I know… I mean I'm sorry I was so… short with you before. I just… well I'll talk to you about it later. Right now I was just hoping that we could join you. Catie kicked us out."

"Kicked you out? For what?" Simon asked from beside him.

Diana blushed at this and didn't seem to want to answer. Alicia supplied one for her, "She blamed Diana for… fraternizing with the enemy."

It took a moment for Ralph to realize what she was talking about, but when Diana reached up and guiltily touched her neck almost automatically, Ralph noticed the marks on her neck. Marks made by him. Was he responsible for getting her kicked out? A wave of guilt struck him. This was all his fault.

"I'm so sorry Diana, I-"

"No it's my fault. I should've been more careful…" she trailed off, remembering.

"You're welcome to join," Piggy chimed in, almost giddy. He was probably seeing this as an opportunity to mutiny against Jack, and when Ralph thought about it, it was.

"Great. Thank you," Diana said, smiling wide. "Where's the rest of you?"

"Off hunting the beast."

"Oh," her smile fell just a little.

"Worried?"

"Well yeah, I don't want anyone to get hurt, you know? Should we wait for them? Are we going to stay here or…"

"We better stay here and wait for them to get back," Ralph said. "See if we can get any of the boys to come with us."

"Good idea. We'd better wait."

But they'd be waiting a long time.

* * *

Samneric led the way up the mountain, the hunters following in their wake, spears raised and out for blood. The thrill of the hunt had gotten into all of them, and as they made their way up the mountain, their chant rose thick through the air: "Kill the pig! Cut her throat! Spill her blood!

The midday sun was slowly setting, leaving the group in a shimmery, red-orange glow. Jack followed close behind Samneric, intent on the beast's demise. The fear of the unknown was in all of them, but few chose to admit it. They had a mission to complete, and nothing was going to stop them.

Except perhaps the girls.

Roger saw them first, tiny figures in the distance making their way up the mountain through the trees across from them. At first they thought Ralph and his friends had followed, but the curvy silhouettes of young women said otherwise.

"What are they doing here?" he sneered, catching up to Jack easily and pointing to the figures through the foliage.

Jack turned in the direction Roger was pointing, and stopped dead in his tracks. Even through the dense forest he could recognize that fiery mane of hair. Catie was nearby.

A sneer formed on his face. What was she doing here?

"Come on," he gestured to his tribe to follow him as he headed diagonally up the mountain and towards the girls. The girls met the boys halfway, but to Jack's surprise they were far fewer in number, and looked as if they'd just been through a war.

His emotions jerked between smugness and pity. He smirked at Catie, who glared back at him with her hands on her hips. She was even more beautiful in the setting sun, and he did not hide his interest as his eyes racked over her.

Her bra was pretty much nonexistent at this point, and she'd replaced most of it with leaves and twigs, although it barely covered anything. Her leaf skirt was surprisingly still intact, and Jack could not help but admire her craftsmanship. More than that however, he couldn't help but admire her body.

"Jack Merridew! Stop looking at me like I'm your prized sow and tell me why you're up here!" she ordered with her hands on her hips.

Some of the boys could not help but chuckle at this, although many had been looking at the girls with the same look Jack had.

"I told you last night, Catie, that we were going hunting for the beast, or has your feeble mind already forgotten?" he asked snidely.

Catie blushed faintly, but still stood strong. "And you suppose it's up there?" she asked, ignoring his insult and gesturing towards the mountain.

"Exactly, and we're off to kill it, so if you don't mind." He trudged past her, his shoulder banging into hers as he passed. The other boys followed in his wake.

Catie climbed up the mountain behind the boys, and intended the girls to follow, but most fell back.

"They seem like they can handle themselves fine," Anna said softly, backing away.

Catie rolled her eyes. "You're all cowards. But fine, go back and wait at camp if you like. I'll defeat the beast myself."

Several of the girls seemed to consider this suggestion, and gave each other appraising looks, but in the end they continued to follow Catie up the mountain. After all, how dangerous could it be if all of them, including the boys, were going to face it?

"Jack, they're still following us. Want me to go down there and teach 'em a lesson?" Roger asked Jack, venom practically seeping from his tone.

"No, no it's fine. If they want to get themselves killed it's their problem," Jack muttered, although he really just didn't want Roger to touch Catie. She was his, as far as he was concerned. He'd been so certain she was going to give in to him last night… It really pissed him off that he hadn't been able to even get one little kiss! It wasn't that he liked her, nah, not at all... but his physical attraction to her was so great that it was worth putting up with her just for the chance to get some… At least, that's what he told himself, remembering how horrible it had been to feel her bones so easily through her flesh…

His pushed his newly awakened concern for Catie to the back of his mind and pressed forward into the ever growing darkness. It was nearly night time now. The sun had fallen and the stars had burst forth from the sky to shine. It wasn't a wise plan to go after the beast at night, and he hadn't intended to. He'd led the boys out early, but the trek had been longer than he'd thought.

He knew the girls were still close behind him, and frankly, he was quite surprised he could still hear the same number of them panting heavily in their tiredness. He was sure at least half of them would have chickened out by now. Perhaps they were tougher than he thought…

Soon they'd reached a small cave nearly at the top of the mountain. Jack thought he saw something flapping deep inside it, but he couldn't be sure. They were nearly there now. Samneric came to a complete halt in front of him and pointed with shaky fingers towards the flapping in the distance.

Catie came up beside them. "This is it," she stated simply, her voice only wavering slightly.

Samneric stood trembling beside her, and Jack cast them aside without a word. The whole lot of them were cowards. Most of them looked ready to run screaming down the mountain. He strode to the front, intent on moving forward.

"Well then, come on! What are we all wai-"

He was interrupted by a bloodcurdling screech. They all whipped around in the direction of it, and found Taylor standing with her arms wrapped protectively around herself and screaming at the top of her lungs.

"What the hell is it?" he asked.

It took her a moment to speak. "Something… something grabbed me…"

"It must have been the beast!" Roger yelled.

Everyone except Jack and Catie gasped. Catie saw through his fake face of concern to the smirk that hid underneath. He stood next to Taylor. His warning was not genuine. He'd touched Taylor, she knew instantly, and was trying to pass it off as the beast. His idea of a sick joke.

Catie's blood boiled, and she realized he was even more vile than Jack! He'd practically raped her friend, and here he was grabbing her in the darkness! Hadn't he learned his lesson? Without even bothering to consider whether or not it was the right thing to do, Catie reached down and grabbed a large rock off the ground and chucked it at Roger.

Her weeks of throwing spears at pigs paid off, and it hit him straight in the forehead. Roger wobbled on his feet for a moment, a dumb-founded expression on his face, and then he fell backward into a tangle of creepers.

"Catie! What the hell?" Jack cursed, pushing her over in his haste to check on his friend.

"He's done it again! He's after Taylor and trying to put it off as the beast! Christ, you're all retarded." With these words spoken she headed off in the direction of the cave.

Jack turned just in time to see Catie rushing off in the direction Samneric had indicated the beast. Although he wished it didn't, a feeling of worry shot through him and he darted away from his fallen friend after her. "What do you think you're doing?

"Going after the beast, that's what!"

"Not without me."

"I thought you were too concerned about your sidekick to care."

"The beast is more important right now."

The others watched their conversation in complete surprised. "Wait!" Taylor called. "You're going-you're actually going to go inside that cave?"

Jack looked at her as if she were stupid. "Yeah. How else are we supposed to kill it?" He tried to appear strong, although fear itself was gnawing at his heart as well.

"I'm not going in there," Someone said from the darkness.

"Me either."

"Hell no."

"Let's wait till morning."

"It's too dangerous!"

Jack looked at Catie in disbelief. All these kids, all these hunters, were too afraid to finally face the prized mark: the Beast. For once, Catie and him stood on the same side.

"Let's at least wait till morning, Jack," Robert spoke imploringly.

Jack scoffed, "Oh, so it can come out and kill us in our sleep? Great idea, Robert. Brilliant!"

"SHH!" Catie silenced them. "I hear something."

And sure enough, they heard a quiet scraping sound from within the cave. Many of them paled even further in the darkness. It was clear none of them were going in now.

Catie raised her spear high in the air and aimed inside the cave. All her limbs were shaking. Jack came up behind her and grabbed her arm, yanking it down.

"Are you stupid? Don't throw it! Maybe it's sleeping. We have to sneak up on it."

Catie scowled at him. "Oh yes, because you know everything, don't you?" But she knew he was right and spoke in a whisper.

Jack turned back to the others briefly, but it was clear from the petrified looks on their faces that they weren't coming anytime soon. Gathering his courage, Jack strode forward into the cave with Catie close behind.


End file.
